The Legend of Team Sage
by Demon and Angel
Summary: Konoha's best assassin gets his first team...but can he handle them? Can he mold them into the next assassins? Can he handle the hormones of three teenagers? Chapter 11 is up!
1. Chapter 1

**Demon: Hello! We are starting a new fic...yes...I know...we haven't even finished the others we have. But don't blame Angel blame me! These cursed ideas won't leave me alone...which means I don't leave Angel alone.**

_Angel: **Types away on laptop quietly, not talking**_

**Demon: **Looks over and pokes Angel's cheek** are you mad at me?**

_Angel: **Ignores Demon's advances**_

**Demon: Fine! Kage Chibi Bushin no Jutsu! **a bunch of chibi Demons poking Angel and pulling on her hair** Pay attention to me and my army of darkness**

_Angel: **Pauses** So you had to call upon your little sperm children to bother me_

**Demon: **jaw drops open...****

_Angel: And I'll interrupt this story to give you fair warnings! This story has Yaoi and Yuri moments...possibly a lot of them...and orgies...yeah...it's bad. Enjoy! No flames you've been warned!_

_***Sage***_

"My lord, there is a council meeting in Konoha today. Will your be using your seal today?"

The blonde emperor, cloaked in a silver silk robe with a sash made of deep royal violet silk. He had his blonde hair pulled back into a small ponytail. He looked down into his lap, meeting the eyes of his pale empress, resting her head upon him. Her long midnight hair of silk that no tailor could ever hope to attain, covered parts of her body as they fell into place. She wore a silk kimono, (though he could consider it an atrocity for such silk to touch her skin) with the color of dark turquoise blending with an obi that could be the closest thing to match the emperors impossibly blue eyes.

He glanced to his left, looking at his captain of the guard and personal bodyguard, kneeling on one knee beside him. His onyx eyes hard and focused on the men that stood before him, none could tell that his muscles where tensed and ready under the metal plates that donned his shoulders and torso. His face unreadable behind the bandaged mask that hid his face from the bridge of his nose down passed his neck. And like a true soldier, his katana was always at the ready within reach of his fingertips.

Then he glanced to the other side of his empress at a woman that only they know is just as dangerous as the man beside him was...perhaps even more. With her silvery blonde hair all pinned up just perfectly on top of her head, her icy blue eyes piercing the very souls of the men who dared approach her emperor. She wore a pale silk kimono of sky color with an obi of silver.

He closed his eyes. _'How did I get here? I remember...'_

***Story begins***

"Uzumaki."

The blonde shinobi stood up. "Yes Hokage-sama?"

"I called you here to give you your assignment."

"I'm listening."

"I'm assigning you to a team. Being that you are the top jounin assassin, you're to train this team to be assassins."

Naruto froze for a moment, only blinking. "What? A team? I thought you called me here to tell me of another mission with Gai and Kakashi...not glorified babysitting." He paused. "How new are they?"

"They just graduated from the Academy a few days ago and are now on a week break."

"Great!" Naruto scoffed, "Fresh green gennin! I can already hear the chunnin and jounin, 'Oh he's going to kill them!' 'He'll work them to death!' 'He's not fit to be a sensei!' You know, old man, they just might be right this time. Maybe you should give these kids to somebody more responsible than me...like Anko. She'll make their death quick!"

"Uzumaki! Focus!" The Hokage pulled out three file folders. "The council even approved of my decision of this team's placement. There is no other assassin that we can trust to mold these gennin into quick deadly assassins. You are all we have."

Naruto groaned in disbelief. "You're kidding me, right? Please tell me this is a bad April Fools joke."

"Uzumaki, it's the middle of September. Now take these files and look over them. I'm sure you've got a lot of work to do with these kids." He placed the files on Naruto's side of the desk.

Naruto glared at the files for a moment, seeing them as poison to his skin. Then he heard Kakashi, who he forgot was there, spoke up. "What's the matter, Uzumaki? Afraid of three little kids?"

"You're one to talk, Hatake. You have yet to pass a single team. Sounds to me like you're afraid of _commitment_."

"Sounds like your problem too..."

"Enough!" Sandaime scolded, "Uzumaki, take the files. You have a week to read over it and prepare your training. I'll call you when the missions are ready if you pass the team. You are dismissed."

Naruto sighed, taking the files and leaving the room. When he reached the outside, he jumped off from the top floor onto the ground. He walked through the village, not daring to look at the files until he reached Ichiraku. He entered the ramen stand and sat down.

"Naruto, I've been waiting for you to come in today," Teuchi exclaimed, "Today is Miso ramen, right?"

Naruto just shrugged. "Sure give me two bowls."

Teuchi froze then looked at the blonde boy. "What's wrong? You seem down today."

"I just got my assignment from the Hokage." He clenched his fist. "I have a gennin team to babysit now. The Hokage must want to snipe off kids' heads. I'm no good with kids. Especially if they are fresh out of the Academy, most of them are so full of themselves or too scared to pull out a kunai."

Teuchi faced Naruto as he stirred the boiling ramen noodles. "Seems like to me that you are afraid of being a sensei."

"I am not!" Naruto exclaimed, almost yelling, "I just...I just think that I'll fail this assignment."

Teuchi got the two bowls ready and he leaned in over the bar to meet the blue eyes of the troubled boy. "Naruto, if I remember correctly, you probably scared your sensei when he was assigned to you. I remember him coming in telling me that he was afraid of running you off, being what you are." Naruto looked up at the smiling old man. "You'll be okay."

Naruto smiled, "If you say so."

"I know so." Teuchi placed the bowls of ramen before him. "Enjoy your lunch."

Naruto nodded his thanks and looked at the dreaded file folders before him. He opened the first one. It had a picture of a bored-looking boy of 15 with onyx eyes and bluish-black spiked-up hair. Naruto read the information.

**Uchiha Sasuke**

**DOB: July 23**

**Date of Gennin Promotion: September 20th**

**Elemental Specialties: Fire learned from the Uchiha clan**

**Tai-Jutsu Ranking: High (Gennin Level)**

**Nin-Jutsu Ranking: Very High (Low Chunnin Level)**

**Gen-Jutsu Ranking: Medium (Gennin Level)**

**Basic Observations: Last surviving member of the Uchiha clan, Anger issues, Inferiority complex at times, shows arrogance when challenged, persistent, protective of fellow teammate Hyuuga, has yet to unlock Uchiha Kekai-Genkai Sharingan**

Naruto sighed. _'Great! An Uchiha!'_ Then he paused for a moment, _'Hn? Hyuuga? Why are they getting along so well?' _He closed the folder and opened the other. He looked at a picture of a smiling blonde girl with icy blue eyes. He preceded to read.

**Yamanka Ino**

**DOB:September 23**

**Date of Gennin Promotion: September 20th**

**Elemental Specialties: Not determined yet, but potential**

**Tai-Jutsu Ranking: Medium (Gennin Level)**

**Nin-Jutsu Ranking: Low (Academy justu only)**

**Gen-Jutsu Ranking: Very High (Low Chunnin Level)**

**Basic Observations: Daughter of a member of the Ino-Shika-Cho Jounin Team, quite flirtatious, Clung to Uchiha's side when put in practice teams, overprotective of teammate Hyuuga, works well with poisons and anti-toxins from plants due to her father's flower shop.**

Naruto was a little impressed by her...but again, with the protection of the Hyuuga. Who was this Hyuuga that needed so much protection? He reached for the last folder as he finished his first bowl of miso ramen. He opened the folder and met the pale Hyuuga eyes of a nervous looking girl with a blush that seemed so...adorable...and...innocent. He began to read every few moments glancing up to meet the picture.

**Hyuuga Hinata**

**DOB: December 27**

**Date of Gennin Promotion: September 20th**

**Elemental Specialties: Not determined yet, but potential (Hyuuga clan won't allow)**

**Tai-Jutsu Ranking: Very High (Low Chunnin Level)**

**Nin-Jutsu Ranking: Low (Academy level only/Hyuuga clan won't allow)**

**Gen-Jutsu Ranking: Low (Can only Dispel/Hyuuga clan won't allow)**

**Basic Observations: Due to clan's strictness, has the potential to grow but lacks confidence, really good with ranged weapons when given the chance (Again, clan won't allow a support fighter) Shown signs of being a good medic ninja (Clan won't allow) Shy, low confidence, quite, gets along well with teammates, believes that she isn't worthy of her teammates.**

Naruto stopped midslurp. "Well that's just wrong! The poor girl can't excel in anything if that clan won't allow it." He looked at the cute face again. "That's it, I'll train her my way and that clan won't get in my way...but how?"

It took him a few hours of walking to his home, he took out the Konoha law book 20th edition...yeah the twentieth version of Konoha Law. He was reading some of the very beginning laws when he stopped midstep. He reread the clause over and over to make sure he was reading it right.

**Konoha Jounin Sensei Law # 5: In time of potential war, the sensei may have current students live with him/her and ties to clans are broken beyond name...**

"That's it!" He spun around and rushed back to the Hokage Tower, jumping up through the window.

The old man nearly fell out of his chair in shock. "Uzumaki? What brings you here in this maner?"

"There's a law that says when I have students I can have them live in my house."

Sarutobi blinked. "But the law says that in time of potential war."

"Aha but we are ninja, old man." Naruto chuckled, "There is always potential war out there. All that we need is a wrong thing said or a princess had her heart broken by a guy." He leaned over the desk, placing his hands on some files to stop Sarutobi. "Listen, this is why you have me. I either prevent a war or end a war with one clean kill. And another thing, one of my students is so chained up by her clan's rules that she can't advance in anything that she shows potential for. You let me have them and I'll make her into a prodigy!"

The Sandaime crossed his arms. "Alright, I'll let the clans know. It'll be your job to tell the students that."

Naruto smirked. _'They'll be my soldiers soon.'_

_***Sage***_

_Angel: Now it is finished just the way I want it. This is a different writing than what I am used to. I will actually have a Naruto who is kinda a meany._

**Demon: This Naruto won't be anything like the canon. He'll be nice in public but he's a strict teacher and combatant. This doesn't mean he's evil.**

_Angel: Like I said before and I will say this at the beginning and end of every chapter until the end. This story will have Yaoi and Yuri! I don't want any flames because of being offended. We will put warnings in the middle of the story if you like the story and wish to avoid the Yaoi/Yuri content. This warning will be beside the Lemon warning for those illegal young readers. **wink** though I don't think that most of you will have a problem._

**Demon: We would like to hear a lot of reviews for this story as we both have such a strong affiliation with this story primarily at the moment. **whispers** or until Angel loses interest and wants to go to her just Yaoi fic **pouts****

_Angel: We hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Angel: Wow, I never thought that this story would be such a hit after one chapter..._

**Demon: This story has been the second most story to be on alert and favorite. Thank you so much guys.**

_Angel: Just wow...and I haven't even thought about how am I gonna reach the romance part of this story. That's gonna be hard. If I had to call it a love-shape...I'd call it a...love square-with-an-X-in-the-center **giggles** I actually had to draw it on paint to figure that out_

**Demon: This time I will give the warning, Angel. There will be Yaoi and Yuri moments along with lemons and orgies. I won't say who...just that there will be scenes you might want to avoid in the future.**

_Angel: Enjoy Chapter 2_

_***Sage***_

Iruka entered the classroom full of chattering students, all of them wearing their Konoha ninja headbands. He couldn't help but smile. _'They have all grown so much.'_ When he looked at the list again on the clipboard, he was still surprised at the turnout of teams. "Alright, Gennin, listen up!"

The class slowly got quiet. Naruto watched from outside, hiding in plain sight...just like an assassin should. He watched Iruka calm the young ninja down. _'Iruka, you were always meant to be a Chunnin teacher. I saw it when you were a kid.'_

"Alright, now for team Uzumaki..."

"This is it," Naruto whispered, gathering his chakra up to perform _**Shunshin**_.

"Uchiha Sasuke...Hyuuga Hinata...and Yamanka Ino."

At that very instant, a tornado of clouds burst into the room through the door. Iruka barely jumped but the class nearly panicked. Then Iruka realized who it was, he rubbed his eyes in frustration. "Naruto-senpai...you're early again."

The clouds cleared. "You can never be too early for an epic entrance, Iruka-chan." The students feasted their eyes on the jounin that entered. He towered over Iruka, his bright blue eyes piercing playfully. A dark red trench coat rested on his shoulders, open to show his green jounin vest. An arm stuck out from the front of the coat, showing he wore a black muscle shirt under the vest. His black pants hung loosely on his hips, the legs cut off by combat boots that swallowed the rest of his pants.

Iruka smiled. "Team Uzumaki, stand up."

All three of the team stood up. Naruto looked at all three of them. Sasuke looked bored, Ino and Hinata both looked nervous and excited. Hinata's excitement was just a little more subtle than Ino's. Naruto smirked. "Alright team, let's go!"

The young gennin walked up to him and followed him out. Kurenai and Asuma were in shock as they passed. They had thought that the Sandaime had molded the teams based on their wishes. Kurenai wanted Hinata and Asuma wanted Ino to make the next generation Ino-Shika-Cho team. But it didn't happen. It seemed as if Naruto got all the special treatment...when little did they know that Naruto was drafted to this against his own will. He was just a good sport about this.

***Sage***

Naruto led the three teens to Ichiraku. Sasuke had to stop in his footsteps and tilt his head. "Ramen?"

Naruto stopped and faced Sasuke. "Yes, ramen is my favorite food actually. Now, if you decide to get me a gift, a bowl of ramen will suit me fine." He took his seat on a stool. Hinata and Ino sat on his right and Sasuke sat by Ino. They watched him smile at the ramen stand owner. "Teuchi, give these kids whatever they want, I'll pay for them."

"Gotcha. And I think today is Chicken ramen for you. I'll have that read in a minute."

After they all three placed their orders of ramen, Naruto faced them. "Now that we are in a comfortable environment, we can introduce ourselves. I shall go first..." He cleared his throat. "I am Uzumaki Naruto. My likes are ramen...well you already know about that...um...cute girls..." He observed Ino and Hinata blushing. "I also like to train so I can always be stronger than the previous day. My dislikes are scum in the ninja world, how long it takes to make my favorite food..."

"It's coming Naruto keep your boxers on!" Teuchi shouted from the back.

Naruto had to laugh. "And finally, those who go back on their word. I am a man of his word. Which is why you'll rarely hear me make a promise. I don't want to have to break a promise because fate would stop me." He paused. "Though they can bloody well try!" Finally Teuchi came out balancing the bowls of ramen on a tray, three bowls of chicken ramen for Naruto, a bowl of pork ramen for Sasuke, a bowl of veggie ramen for Ino, and a bowl of miso ramen for Hinata. Naruto smiled at the old man then turned to his students. "My hobbies are training, listening and playing music...mainly the flute, and finally, reading. My little reading 'obsession' is actually part of my job. If you look into my study and search for the most common books, all you'll see are law books.

"And finally my dream...hmm how do I put this? I wish to follow in my father's footsteps and become Hokage like him...and also follow my mother's footsteps and become a deadly...sexy...assassin." This time he noticed Sasuke blushing just the tiniest bit. He smirked. "Now, who should be next in line...? How about...Uchiha?"

Sasuke sighed, putting his chopsticks down. "Alright...I am Uchiha Sasuke. I have no likes or dislikes..."

_FWAP! _A paper fan slapped up against Sasuke's head, causing a bit of shock through the boy. "Wrong answer boy!"

"What do you mean 'wrong answer'?" Sasuke argued, "What do you want from me?"

"I want the right answer, nobody has 'no likes or dislikes'. It's impossible to be _completely_ neutral to the world. Every neutral person gets pissed off at something and loves something else." He poked Sasuke's chest with his chopsticks. "Come on, let it out...come oooooonnnnn." Ino and Hinata were giggling. "Or I'll read your whole file to the team."

Sasuke groaned in defeat. "Alright, alright! My likes are...tomatoes."

"Tomatoes?" Naruto muttered.

"Yes yes tomatoes. Now let's forget I said that. I also like..." He hesitated, his eyes darting over to the two young ladies sitting next to him. "Girls."

"Well that's a good thing," Naruto coaxed, "Liking girls is very healthy for a young boy like you."

Sasuke felt his face heat up in a blush. "I dislike...that pink-hair boy, Sakura..."

Ino bust out into laughter, almost falling out of her stool if it wasn't for Hinata grabbing her shoulder. "Pink-haired boy! Pink-haired boy!" She laid her head on the bar and she just giggled into silence.

Naruto chuckled, "We have a comedian here, though I cannot blame you. I saw that pink-haired thing and even I was confused about it. Go on..."

"My hobbies?" Sasuke questioned.

"Of course," Naruto inquired, "I'd like to know what you would do on your free time."

Sasuke sighed. "My favorite hobby is sword training. It's...relaxing to me. Though I don't think I'm ready to pull out my katana in the middle of a battle right now, but it might be a sight in the future." Sasuke stopped and looked down at his knees.

Naruto tilted his head a little. "Sasuke? You seem like you have something to mention but you don't want to."

"I write." It was all he was willing to say.

Naruto smiled. "Oh? What do you write?"

Sasuke froze, the color that was in his face was drained. He stammered random sounds. Even his fingers where twitchy to the point he grabbed his knees and squeezed hard until his knuckles were white. He was so nervous about something in his mind that Naruto just had to pry.

"What is it?"

Sasuke finally mumbled in an attempt to avoid the question. Naruto was the only one who heard the word...poetry. Naruto had to pry deeper to let the girls in on it. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't catch that. What was it you write?"

Ino and Hinata were watching Sasuke with keen interest, their eyes begging for the information they lacked. Sasuke mumbled again but the girls didn't catch it. Naruto heard it more clearly.

"Jee...I guess I have something in my ear! Could you speak a little louder so I can hear you?"

Sasuke growled then muttered, "Poetry..." He watched Ino and Hinata smile big and bright and Naruto smirking in a sadistic way. "What?"

"Recite one for us." Naruto said.

"What? No!" Sasuke snarled.

"Did you write one for a girl?" Naruto asked, furthering Sasuke's embarrassment.

Sasuke stammered, "Y-yes."

"Would you recite a few lines for us?" Naruto asked, his voice smooth and calm.

"No," Sasuke hissed through his teeth.

"Why not?"

"Because...I would have to burn you if I did." Sasuke said in almost a sing-song sadistic way.

Naruto had to chuckle. "Oh yeah, that your specialty isn't it? You and fire, just like your father and brother." He watched Sasuke's eyes go dark. _'Ooh touched a tender spot didn't I? Gotta pry some more.'_ "What about your dreams and ambitions? What do you want to do with your life?"

Sasuke didn't meet anybody's eyes, he refused to. It wasn't that he wanted to avoid them and only see the image of his brother, it was he didn't want to frighten them with the anger that was deep in his eyes. "I want to kill a certain man. I must get stronger than him to kill him. He must pay for what he did."

Naruto's voice broke Sasuke's images. "Then what? What will you be after you killed this man?"

Sasuke stopped for a moment. He actually raised his head and met the eyes of his sensei.

"The road of revenge changes even the strongest of spirits." Naruto said, "If you dedicate your life to killing this one man, what would you have to return to? What will you have to keep you whole?"

Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat. He was right, he never thought about himself at all. Even though he seemed kind and caring to his teammates...it was just a shell that he would rid of when he would avenge his family.

Naruto continued, "Training to kill that man will make you strong. Yes. But, training to protect those you care about...being strong enough to let others in...that is true strength."

Sasuke couldn't say anything to this wisdom. He didn't even see the girls' reactions, all he saw was Naruto smiling at him.

"Think about it, Sasuke." Naruto smiled, ruffling Sasuke's black hair. "And what you finally find that true dream you've been looking for, come find me. I would like to know."

Sasuke closed his eyes, relaxing. _'You have given me a lot to think about, Naruto-sensei.'_

***Sage***

**Demon: And if you haven't noticed in this chapter...we are actually trying to make Sasuke a good character...it's hard. He's such a jackass for being a chicken-butt hair dude.**

_Angel: Don't be mean to Sasuke-kun!_

**Demon: BLASPHEMY! **grabs a vial of holy water** BEGONE SASKUE FANGIRL! **sprays the water on Angel** THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELLS YOU!**

_Angel: **stares at Demon a little smoke rises from her skin from the holy water** you know this barely works on me being the pagan I am, raised baptist unbaptized...It just plain don't work on me!_

**Demon: **stammers** oh...wrong phrase...**clears throat** THE POWER OF HINATA COMPELLS YOU!**

_Angel: **rolls eyes** it's not gonna wor... **Inner Sakura spews out of Angel's mouth screaming in agony**_

**Demon: I KNEW IT! An Inner Sakura always possesses a Saskue fangirl! You better be happy you didn't turn rabid, those are impossible to kill...unless **Holds up yaoi paddle with an evil grin** I smack your bum with this.**

_Angel: **turns away** The end of the story warning! This story had Yaoi and Yuri moments and lemons and orgies! I will put warnings in the middle of a lemon if you want to avoid it!_

**Demon: You're going to ignore me?**

_Angel:I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it took us a while to get it out...yes us. Demon actually gave me some of the lines I used._

**Demon: You're ignoring me...you're mean to me!**

_Angel: Well see you next..._

**Demon: **Swings paddle hard making a loud SMACK** That's for ignoring me!**

_Angel: **Turns on Demon, seeing him run away doing the woody woodpecker laugh* GET BACK HERE! **Takes off running after him**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Demon: Well, I can clearly say that this story may be our best yet! And that Angel is a lobster!**

_Angel: WTH Demon! I'm healing...slowly...curse you sun!_

**Demon: Yes, curse the sun. Anyway. Thank you all for your great support. Just one more alerts and this story will be just as good as Sounds of the Slithering Fox...and we only have TWO chapters! **slowly moves toward covered window****

_Angel: **smiles** Well, once again, here comes the warning...This story has Yaoi and Yuri moments and orgies! I will post when the lemons are and whether or not they have a Yaoi or Yuri moment! No flames please, you have been warned._

**Demon: No monkeys...or Angel...were harmed in the making of this fic. **Rips away the shades, letting the sunlight through and Angel hisses hiding in the stairwell of the college** See! See! She is a vampire!**

_Angel: I WILL KILL YOU WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN! Enjoy the next chapter!_

_***Sage***_

Naruto looked over at the girls. "Hm...Yamanka, why don't you go next?"

The blonde girl hesitated, then smiled. "I'm Ino, um...my likes are helping my family with the flower shop in town, I love my friends and family. I also like to follow ninja fashion and stay as sexy as I can." She smirked at Sasuke. "I like to tease Sakura."

Naruto smirked. "And your dislikes?"

"I hate ignorant people, bad fashion, people who dare to hurt my friends. Oh and tangled hair! I can't stand it! A girl's hair should be silky and flowing, almost flawless. I don't know how many times I've had to brush Hinata's hair because she always came to training with a bed-head." Hinata blushed. "Her hair always has tangles that I just can't stand! Fly-away hair, split ends...anything that can take away the shine and luster of hair just irks me to no end!"

Naruto just couldn't help but to ask himself. _'Hair fetish?'_ "So in a way you are a hair designer?"

"Oh no, I just think a girl's hair has to be perfect...even if you are a kunoichi. I mean I know some girls already look perfect, but why can't we all put in a little effort to keep us looking perfect." Ino grabbed Hinata's arm and hugged her, smiling. "Right, Hina-san?"

Hinata stammered, nervous to be put on the spot. "Y-yes..."

Naruto smiled. _'They are already good friends...perfect, now I can push the hidden law.' _"What about your hobbies, Ino?"

"My hobbies? Oh! I love to study flowers and plants and even garden. It's so relaxing to me to get my hands in some dirt and help something grow."

Naruto cocked his head. "Wait a minute...I thought you'd be afraid of getting your hands dirty after what you just said earlier about being perfect."

Ino paused. "Oh! Well, when it comes to bringing something almost as beautiful as me into this world, I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty."

Naruto smirked a little tight. None of the young naive teens caught the hidden meaning that Naruto received. Not even Ino realized what she just said. Finally he managed to ask a question. "Any other hobbies?"

Ino smiled. "Well, this is a guilty pleasure of mine, but I like to gossip." She waited a moment to see reactions. There weren't any so she ended up continuing. "I'd like to know what is going on through the village and to spread the news." She blushed innocently. "Then there's hairstyling. I love helping Hinata do something awesome with her hair. She always has it down and after a while it gets boring. I help her spice up her look." Hinata blushed again.

Naruto smiled. "Do you want to share your dreams?"

"I want to become a super model..."

"Stop right there." Naruto said sharply. They all noticed the angry look in his eyes. It was quite frightening. "Ino, let me just say that I think that you might want to rethink that dream."

"What do you mean, Sensei?" Ino asked.

"If you lose any more weight to become a supermodel and a ninja, you will die."

All three teen's eyes widened. He seemed so blunt at this moment.

Naruto rubbed his temples firmly to keep himself under control. "Ino, when you work yourself to become a supermodel, you deprive yourself of chakra that you need to be a ninja. I mean, doesn't Iruka show you kids what happens when you are too thin?"

"Iruka sensei didn't show us this year," Sasuke muttered, "He wanted to but he said the council got rid of it."

Instantly, Naruto smacked himself in the face, making the teens jump. They heard a string of curses erupt from his lips, and their eyes widened at each really bad one they caught. Naruto clenched his teeth and growled, forcing himself to calm down. "I knew something was wrong about that council." He looked at the three of them. "Listen to me. I want you to think about this, all of you. I knew a jounin who was a supermodel despite the warnings given in class. She had taken her gennin team out on a C rank mission and she ended up dying."

Hinata winced. "Who killed her?"

Naruto sighed. "There were no third party attackers...she and her team were attacked by a group of bandits. She died from chakra exhaustion just moments after the fighting started. Her team was kidnapped and there was nothing left of them." His eyes met Ino's. "Ino, dying is the worst thing you could do to you team. And becoming a supermodel ninja is signing the death certificate to the Shinigami. We don't want to lose you, Ino."

Ino looked down, closing her eyes. She didn't want to betray her team, her friends. But now she had some thinking to do. "Thank you, Sensei."

Naruto smiled. "I want you to think on a dream as you are training with me and the others. When you find it, I'll be there with open ears." He patted her hand and it made her look up at him with a sweet smile on her lips. His smile got bigger.

Then he looked over at little Hinata. She whimpered softly, cast her lavender eyes down, and pushed her index fingers together like a nervous twitch. It really was adorable. He was liking little Hinata more and more by her little actions. "Miss Hyuuga, I believe it's your turn."

Hinata stammered. "I-I am H-Hyuuga H-Hinata. M-my likes are...um..."

Naruto watched as both Ino and Sasuke take one of Hinata's hands and held it tightly. Both of them had a sweet smile on their faces. _'This is what those files meant, "protective over their Hyuuga teammate".' _He watched them calm Hinata down with simple silent looks.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as Sasuke and Ino let her hands go on her lap. She opened her eyes, smiling. "I'm Hyuuga Hinata. My likes are my friends and cina-rolls. I dislike eels, ignorance, and war."

"War?" Naruto chimed in, "Why war?"

"It tears families apart and destroys friendships! I hate death and suffering!"

Naruto smiled, pleased that he had a peacemaker in the team. She would be good at negotiating...if assassins needed that. "What about your hobbies?"

"I like to draw and paint pictures of life." Hinata smiled cutely. "I have a garden in home that I made myself just so that I can draw and paint what grows from it. I love to make life, then I immortalize it through paint."

Naruto smiled. Right now, Hinata didn't stammer or hesitate to speak at all. He observed the other two, they both were smiling proudly at her. _'It's their friendship that they share. They give her confidence when she needs it most. This is possibly the best teamwork I have seen ever...and I haven't even seen them in combat.'_ "And your dreams, Hinata?"

Hinata finally stopped for a moment, her face became soft and serene. "I want to become stronger, to make my father proud of me."

Ino and Sasuke both closed their eyes to hide their discord. Naruto watched their faces change from happy to disappointment. Apparently this has happened before. "Why your father?"

"After my mother died, my father was distraught and I sought to make him proud of me, his first daughter." She looked down. "I've been trying so hard for most of my childhood, and I still can't make him proud of me."

"Hinata," Naruto said softly, "If you strive to make only your father proud, you won't be getting stronger for yourself. You should try to be stronger for you teammates...your friends. Trying to impress one person for so long and not getting any approval can only prove that even if you are perfect, he would still be disappointed. Your father only cares about his image, it seems." _'And if I remember him correctly, all he was to me was a crude bastard who only cared about how strong his clan was compared to the rest of the ninja at large.'_

Hinata had met his eyes when he had mentioned the possibility of her father only caring about his image to the clan. _'Ino-chan and Sasuke-kun have said the same thing before.'_ Maybe they were right and she was denying it the whole time.

Naruto watched her, seeing the emotions just run through her, she was thinking deeply into this. It would take her time, he knew, to grow out of this thought. "Hinata, we are here to support you, no matter what you decide."

Hinata smiled and nodded cutely, a small sweet blush rising in her cheeks.

"Alright, now that we've got that out of the way, I'll need to tell you one thing." Naruto smirked and finished his final bowl of ramen. The three teens waited anxiously. "You will be living with me."

And the mixed teenage emotions began. Naruto couldn't tell which emotion was stronger in each of the teens' faces. "What do you mean, Naruto-sensei?" Ino asked.

"The Hokage has already alerted your parents. In order for me to train you properly my way, you must live with me outside the village. I want you all packed up and just outside the main gate at eight in the morning prompt. Get everything you would want or need because you won't be returning for a while."

"Yes, Sensei," all three answered clearly.

Naruto smiled. "Enjoy your lunch, I shall see you tomorrow." He stood up putting the money for lunch on the bar for Teuchi. Then he turned to leave.

"Wait, S-sensei!" Hinata called, the stammering had returned.

Naruto turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"H-how old are y-you?" she inquired innocently.

Naruto just simply smiled his most handsome smile. "Why, I'll be 23 in a few weeks." Then he vanished into thin air.

***Sage***

_Angel: Finally, that took me a while. Friends can be distracting when you're trying to work on something._

**Demon: But it's still good. At least I think so.**

_Angel: Please review, and as some of you may have noticed, if you are a fan of my Full Moon: Tides story...well I accidentally deleted it. But Demon said that it'll be a perfect way to revise and do it in a better way, so I'll take his word on it. So if you are waiting for Full Moon, you're gonna have to wait for a while._

**Demon: And we deleted some of our 1-2 chapter stories as well just so we can focus on our top 5.**

_Angel: Here's that warning again: Warning, this story has Yaoi and Yuri moments along with many lemons and orgies. We will warn you ahead of time when the scenes will begin so that if you wish to avoid reading it, then you may. Thank you!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Angel: Oh my gosh, I am so happy! This story is the most popular story on my page! **in a Stewie voice** Victory is mine!_

**Demon: We thank you greatly for your support. You guys are awesome! Every time I tell Angel that you guys have alerted/faved/commented on this story, she'd squeal in joy. **smiles** And when I pinch her.**

_Angel: Shut up! Ahem, now here is the warning again. This story has Yaoi and Yuri moments along with Lemons and orgies. I will post warnings when they happen._

**Demon: I don't know why you are doing this over and over. It'll be so far away before those scenes happened.**

_Angel: I don't want any flamers! Anyway, enjoy the next chapter._

_***Sage***_

Sasuke looked past the gate to see Ino and Hinata both already there waiting with their bags at their feet. Ino had her arms crossed over her chest and Hinata's hands were behind her back. He smiled and strutted toward them. "Hey! You guys beat me!"

Ino smiled. "Sasuke-kun! You made it on time!"

Sasuke dropped his bags and stood in front of them. "So, have you seen him yet?"

"N-no," Hinata stuttered, "N-not yet."

"Hinata," Sasuke muttered, "What can we do to stop that stuttering of yours?" He let a smirk play his face and watched her blush.

"I-I don't kn-know," Hinata whimpered.

Ino wrapped an arm around Hinata. "Sasuke-kun! Don't be so hard on Hinata-chan, she's just nervous like we all are about living with Naruto-sensei. I am too. And so are you."

Sasuke turned his head. "Hn...a guy is never nervous of anything."

Naruto watched from atop a tree. _'These young 'assassins' are already dead if I would have been after them. I found 200 openings...and it's only been five minutes.' _He sighed, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes. _'I got a lot of work to do. And a year at soonest to make them killers before the Chunnin exam. Sarutobi you teme! You sentenced me to this prison.' _He shrugged and opened his eyes again. _'Oh another kill chance. Eh, I enjoy a challenge.'_

_***Sage***_

One hour later, Sasuke groaned in impatience. "Grrrr where is that Sensei! He was supposed to be here an hour ago!"

From behind him and the girls came a voice that made their skin crawl. "Ah, but I was here, Sasuke-kun. I was here the whole time."

All three of them turned around to see him standing there in the same clothes they saw yesterday, and a eerie grin on his face. Shivers ran through their spines, something wasn't right about his appearance today.

"I must say I was quite impressed," Naruto chimed in a higher pitched voice, "I found over 300 ways to kill you three, infiltrate the village, steal the Forbidden Scroll, assassinate the Hokage, and then finally leave the village and return to the country that hired me." He tsked. _'Though they did better than the average Chunnin! I'd better not let them know that just yet, it might inflate their egos.' _"I was expecting somewhere closer to 400, but you managed to dodge a few kunai or sebons. Congratulations, you're not just useless cannon fodder. You're distraction worthy."

Sasuke clenched his fists and growled. "Hey! Who do you think you are? You were late! You said to meet you here at eight!"

"Correction! I said to be here at eight, which you did...but I never said I'd meet you here on time. I might have said that I'll see you at eight, which I did, you just didn't see me." He took on a giant shit-eating grin.

Sasuke growled, but didn't say anything more. He was too angry to speak. Ino looked at Naruto. "Wait, I thought we had already passed the team test."

"You did, but this was to test my teaching needs." Naruto sighed. "What I would need to teach you in a year through missions and my training methods...well, miracles seem to run in my blood."

"Teme!" Sasuke yelled, "You are saying that we are worthless! That we have no skills!"

Naruto growled back. "Wrong again, duck-ass!" He laughed inside as Sasuke's eyes darkened at the name. "I did NOT call you worthless! You just assumed as such. And you do have skills, you also have potential. Now just try to understand my simple math, children." He pulled out a little slat and a piece of chalk and he started to jot down something. Sasuke crossed his arms tightly, Ino sighed, and Hinata just stayed quiet in the back. Then Naruto turned the slate around and they all read the words...

**Skills+Potential+Uzumaki training=Success**

"Now, only skills and potential can make you a ninja." Naruto pointed at a simple chunnin several yards away. "Yes, this is true. But only those can also make an arrogant fool." He looked around. "Damn, no arrogant fools around here today. I guess they knew I was out and about. Anyway, when you compare that to my awesome hardcore training...you get..." He pulls out a framed picture of himself standing by the Sandaime and two of the three Sannin. "Me!" He flashed a handsome grin.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, Ino sighed knowing she'll lose her sanity here, and Hinata...was looking at him with stars in her eyes?

Naruto chuckled, "I'll sign your autographs later kids." His eyes dimmed and his smile vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. "There is only one reason why I did this test, guys. And that was to show me how far away from assassins you are."

Hinata's eyes widened, her skin went paler...if that was possible. "W-wait! A-assassins?"

"Why assassins?" Sasuke asked quietly.

Naruto crossed his arms. "The Sandaime ordered me to train the next top assassins for this village. Since I am the deadliest, he sent me. He chose you three based on your team trials and the skills that you already possess. My job, is to help you hone those abilities and target those strictly for assassination. And based upon my discoveries of your likes, dislikes, and dreams...you all fit the profile."

Hinata blinked. "N-Naruto-sensei? I-I d-don't understand, I-I d-don't like d-death and w-war."

"Hinata, sometimes somebody has to die in order to prevent a war from ever starting, or to finish it. I cannot remember how many people I had to assassinate in order to prevent or end a war. Don't get me started on the number of the wars I had to stop." He bent lower to be at eye level with Hinata. "And you show the most potential to be the deadliest female assassin I have ever seen." He smirked when she blushed brightly at the compliment, though still showed discomfort over the idea of killing.

He stood back up straight. "Alright, Team Uzumaki, let me show you your new home." He turned and

walked ahead. He smirked when he heard the three teens struggling to get their bags together and follow him. He led them about a mile out from the village gates and they began their walk through the woods on a path that he seemed to remember by heart because the three teens had a hard time keeping up. "We'll be there soon."

Sasuke grunted when he tripped on a root and caught his balance. Hinata looked around and saw that they were coming up on a meadow. When Naruto stopped, they stopped at his side. They all looked around the bright warm meadow. They stood next to a creek that appeared out of nowhere beside them. The creek led up to a very large house, almost like a clan compound, except just one building. The house was huge and beautiful. A moat surrounded the house with bridges leading up to the balcony that surrounded the doors. The sunlight that touched the walls made the house look so inviting.

"Here is home." Naruto exclaimed.

"It's beautiful," Ino gasped.

"That's only the front, you should see the back." Naruto walked to the bridge with them following. Then he stopped and spun around to face them. "Oh, I forgot to mention. My younger sister lives with me. She's about your age." He leaned forward toward them. "If you dare harm her and any way, shape, or form...You will wish you had never been born." When he watched them tremble, he knew he got them.

Naruto opened the door and he chimed in a sweet voice. "Imoto-chan! I'm home!"

"Onii-chan!" They heard footsteps and a young beautiful 15 year old ran down the steps and across the room they stood in. Naruto met her halfway and embraced her in a tight hug. The team looked at her in awe. She was a beautiful girl. Her long red hair straight and glowed like silk, it grew almost past her hips. Her jade green eyes were bright and happy and her face was just so...beautiful.

Naruto smiled and faced the team. "Team, this is my little sister, Kiyoko."

She smiled brightly and bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you."

Sasuke couldn't stop himself. "Hey cutie!" Before he could smile, he felt Naruto's hand connect with his head and he the next thing he saw was the wooden floor where his feet should be.

"You just don't listen, Uchiha!" Naruto growled.

"Naruto," Kiyoko sighed, "Stop, it's a compliment. I can take care of myself."

"But..."

"You take care of yourself?" Sasuke managed to grunt, "I see a simple civilian girl."

Kiyoko smirked and Naruto froze. She had the smirk of their father whenever he had an idea...a very evil idea. Pranking didn't only run in the Uzumaki blood, but the Namikaze as well. Naruto took a few steps back, his eyes widening in horror, which Ino and Hinata noticed. Then they looked at the girl. Her hands made seals then she muttered something, meeting Sasuke's eyes. Sasuke froze, unable to move...then...a most agonizing, blood curdling scream erupted from him. It was so horrid that Naruto, Ino, and Hinata covered their ears and backed away.

Kiyoko smiled then made one handsign. "Kai!"

Sasuke curled up, trembling and whimpering in fear.

The red-head smiled sweetly. "I can take care of myself." She looked at her pale brother. "Brother, what shall I fix for dinner?"

Naruto stammered, "Y-your ch-choice."

She smiled. "Okay, is there anything else you need?" He shook his head quickly. "Alright, I'll leave you to your team." She turned on her heels and pranced away, with a little hop to her step.

Naruto shuddered. "Alright, Sasuke, can you get up?"

Sasuke's only answer was grunting as he struggled to his feet. He was slightly bent over, like he had been hit really hard in the gut...at least that's what the girls thought. Naruto knew what torture she used on him.

"Good, now, let me show you to your rooms so you can put your things in there." He walked up the stairs and they followed. He entered one room. "Sasuke, this is your room." He opened the next door down. "Ino, this is your room." And he opened the third door. "Hinata, this is your room." At the end of the hall is Kiyoko's room. My room is downstairs. I'll show you that later. Go ahead and unpack, I need to talk to Kiyoko for a little bit." He turned and walked down the stairs. Sasuke, Hinata, and Ino looked at each other, then entered their own rooms.

***Sage***

Naruto walked into the garden to find Kiyoko sitting in the lily patch, pulling weeds. "Kiyoko?"

She turned around and smiled. "I'm sorry about hurting the boy. I don't know what came over me."

Naruto chuckled. "Don't be sorry, he'll get over it in a few days." He knelt beside her. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm fine, though not so energetic. Maybe it's something that I ate. My chakra level is fine." She didn't meet his eyes.

Naruto rubbed his palms together and placed his hands on each side of her head. "Relax, Imoto." They both closed their eyes and Naruto dove deep into his subconscious. _'Kyuubi, lend me your energy.'_ His body felt hot from his core. The heat traveled up his body, listening to his mind. His shoulders got hot, then his arms, and finally his hands. His hands felt the hottest. When he opened his eyes, he saw the red chakra around his hands seep into Kiyoko's body. Her pale skin became slightly blushed from the heat. When Naruto pulled his hands away slowly, Kiyoko opened her eyes to find them brighter than ever. It was always right after this treatment that her eyes were the brightest...like their mother's. Naruto felt a slight pain in his chest, aching for his mother.

Kiyoko touched his cheek. "Nii-san." Naruto met her eyes. "Thank you."

Naruto smiled and kissed her forehead. "That's what brothers are for."

***Sage***

Sasuke looked around the room, seeing red. Somehow, Naruto knew that red was his favorite color. He had a king-sized canopy bed covered in red silk and giant fluffy pillows. A nightstand sat on either side of the bed. One nightstand had a lamp for reading... _'and writing'_. The other had a large black glass bowl...filled with the ripest looking tomatoes.

Sasuke smirked. "He may be good, but he missed the writing desk, then this would be the perfect room." He turn around to face the balcony, and right next to the sliding glass doors...sat a writing desk, twice as big as the one he had at home. His shoulders slumped. "Damn he's good." He crossed his arms. "He must have designed each room to match our likes and hobbies." He left the room and entered Ino's. "Ino, are you in here?"

"I'm out on the balcony," Ino called out.

Sasuke walked toward the back of the room slowly, he saw purple walls and the purple bed. When he saw the vanity, he had to stop and blink. Naruto had gotten her a full collection of hairstyling supplies and a chair for any prisoner she manages to capture to be her canvas. He stepped onto the balcony and saw Ino looking through a basket. On either side of her were many planting boxes filled with rich soil. "Ino?"

"Sasuke! I can't believe it! Sensei is letting me have my own garden!"

Sasuke smiled. "I think he wanted to hear our likes and hobbies for this purpose." He looked across the hall where Hinata's door was ajar slightly. "Let's see what he did to her room."

They both walked across the hall and entered Hinata's room. The walls were a plain, made from simple cherry wood. Her bed was simple with white cotton sheets. They saw an easel next to a table with little shelves filled with many colors of paint. A few glass cups had different size and style brushes in them. There were also bottles of black ink and scrolls of parchment paper with calligraphy pens in one jar. On the floor next to the easel was a stack of canvases. They looked out to the balcony to see Hinata leaning on the rail looking out to the back. When they stood by her, their jaws dropped. They swore they had entered into Eden. The garden was just absolutely beautiful. With water ponds and flowers and trees, it was staring into heaven itself.

"Whoa..." Sasuke breathed.

"It's...beautiful..." Ino gasped.

***Sage***

Naruto entered the house to find Sasuke, Ino, and Hinata at the top of the steps, looking down at him. He cocked his head. "What?"

"Thank you," Ino said, "From all of us."

Naruto smiled. "Don't mention it." He put his hands behind his head and crossed a leg over the other, standing on one leg. "Now, tomorrow morning, I want you guys to begin you training at five. You'll each have a specialized list for what you need to work on or improve." He smirked. "Don't skip out because if one skips, the whole team gets punished. And believe me, you'll wish it was a gen-jutsu with what I'll do to you."

They nodded, their stomachs all knotting up in fear.

***Sage***


	5. Chapter 5

***Sage***

Sasuke looked at the girls as he did his push ups. "I think it's a trait that runs in the family."

Ino looked over at him from her jogging in place. "What runs in the family?"

Sasuke paused at the top. "Sadistic. They both are sadistic."

Hinata sat all the way up from her sit ups. "N-not Kiyoko! Sh-she's too sw-sweet."

He flipped over onto his back, throwing his legs high and straight into the air and he began to swing them back and forth, keeping his torso as still as he can. He bit his lip for a moment. "You remember yesterday when she locked me in that gen-jutsu?"

"Hai," both girls said together.

"That gen-jutsu put me in a torture chamber," Sasuke grunted, "I was tied down to a chair and my...um...privates...were tortured." Both Hinata and Ino hissed and looked away. "Yeah, any longer and I would've felt the rage of a scorpion."

Naruto looked out of his bedroom window, watching the team training in the basic exercises that he ordered them to do. They were doing good, but it was still going to take a long time to even touch the assassination lessons. He sighed and paced his room, letting his mind wander. "I just hope these guys can pull through with me."

***Sage***

"Alright, Team Uzumaki, today we are finally going to start missions." Naruto smirked. "We will be going to the Hokage Tower in a few hours. Right now, I want to run with you guys around the meadow."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Really? You are actually going to join in on the training?"

"Of course," Naruto answered, "After all, I need to work on my speed some more." He pulled out some weights and strapped them to his calves. "It's been two months since we became a team. I've been postponing these missions just to make sure you are physically prepared for what the Hokage will give you."

"Alright," Ino chimed in with a smile, "We'll take you up on the challenge."

Naruto smirked slightly sadistic. "Okay, we'll see who can last the longest." He felt the air tense up around him. When he spun around to look at them, he saw stress marks on their faces. "You can drop out if you want." He winked and then he saw the teens faces harden with determination. "Suit yourselves."

They began running, going slow and easy at first. Naruto seemed to run effortlessly despite the weights on his legs. Ino and Hinata couldn't help but to look at his finely toned legs...and ass... The running took a while before somebody begged to stop...and that person was Ino.

"Can we stop?" Ino whimpered, "My knees are shaking and my legs are wanting to cramp up really bad."

Naruto spun around and was running backward, smirking. "What's the matter, Ino? Can't make it?"

"I'm not the best runner!" Ino whined, "Please, let's go home and take a bath!"

Sasuke and Hinata couldn't say anything. Their legs were killing them as well, but they were expecting Ino to cave in first anyhow. They knew they could last a bit longer. Then they looked at Naruto, who had stopped. He barely broke into a sweat...he was glistening in such a way that his body looked handsome. He was only wearing baggy shorts and a black tank top, showing his muscles. Even Sasuke had to take a second look.

"Ino, you did very well today," Naruto said with deep sincerity, "you all did. I'm quite impressed. Your stamina has increased greatly for physical combat and endurance. This will help you increase you chakra stamina easier." He smiled. "I'm proud of you guys."

They all smiled in thanks.

"Go in, take a bath and get some food. We'll start a mission today. I'll get you an easy one."

***Sage***

Naruto looked at the scroll Iruka gave him for the team's first mission. "Naruto-senpai, you waited two months to get these guys started? They'll never be ready for the chunnin exams."

"I don't intend on them going to the chunnin exams this year." Naruto said calmly.

Kakashi's eye widened. "Giving them at least a year?"

"Hey, if I want to defeat you and Gai, I have to train them with everything I know." He began tapping on the spine of Kakashi's book that was planting in front of his nose. "And not focus on reading books."

Kakashi shrugged. "What's your mission? I sent my team home after babysitting."

Naruto read the mission. Then he blinked and reread it...and reread it. "Well I'll be damned!"

"What?" Kakashi leaned over his shoulder and read it...and reread it. "No way! That thing is still alive!"

Naruto shrugged. Then he smirked. "Hey, Kakashi, do you want to watch my team work? I'm hoping they understand their role and work through this mission."

Kakashi smirked under his mask. "After two months of your awful training methods? I'd like to see if they function at all."

Naruto flashed his evil grin. "Oh trust me, they function alright."

***Sage***

Hinata looked at Sasuke when he ran up to her and Ino. "Anything?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, what about you two?"

"We found out that this cat likes the park. The previous times this cat was missing they found her in the park."

"Let's go!" Sasuke took off and the girls followed.

Naruto smirked. "Their off." He and Kakashi kept close behind them, but out of sight. They didn't want to pressure them and mess them up. "Team Uzumaki, state your positions."

"Entering the park from the west entrance, Sensei," Ino claimed.

"Entering the park from the east entrance," Hinata said calmly.

"Inside the park up top," Sasuke muttered. He ran through the trees as quietly as the tree could let him. His eyes scanned the park, looking for any signs of the cat.

"Remember, Sasuke-kun," Ino said through the head piece, "The cat is brown with a pink bow."

"Got it," Sasuke muttered and he looked around again. He saw a bush shift and a brown flash darted out. "Found it! Center of the park!" He took off toward it at full speed, his muscles tensed, adrenaline began to pump through his body. He saw the cat and cornered it. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Ino and Hinata flanking him. He didn't hesitate and went for the capture.

Naruto smirked then winced in pain when Sasuke's scream went through his ear piece. He threw the thing on the ground and watched it shake, still hearing the boy's scream. Kakashi looked at Naruto in amazement. "Assassins, huh?"

Naruto nodded. "They did good." He picked up the screeching ear piece and heard Hinata confirming the capture. "Understood, great work guys. Sasuke, take that ear piece off, your deafening me. Report to the west entrance of the park. I'll be waiting."

"Got it!" all three gennin harmonized.

Naruto smirked and turned the ear piece off. "Come on, Kakashi, let's see how scratched up Sasuke is."

When the three emerged from the park, Hinata was holding a purring happy kitty as Sasuke was glaring from the other side of Ino. His arms were crossed and bleeding cuts covered his body. Even his shirt was a little torn. Naruto hid his smirk. _'Yep, I remember that cat. I was just like him.'_ "Great job, team! Now let's go return Tora to her owner."

Hinata nodded and looked at Naruto. "Sensei, is it possible that we could get a cat?"

"No!" Naruto and Sasuke exclaimed in unison. Both Hinata and Ino looked at them, their faces confused.

"Let's just go return the cat." Ino said and she led the way. When they got to the mission room, they almost died in horror.

"Tora! Oh my baby kitty!" The large woman held the small cat to her tightly and they all see the poor cat stuggling.

"I can see why that cat ran away," Sasuke mumbled.

"Oh thank you so much!" the woman paid the Hokage and left, still trying to coax the cat to relax.

Naruto shuddered. "I had no idea that cat was still alive. That's just wrong!"

Hinata looked up at him. "S-sensei? You r-remember that c-cat?"

"Yeah," Naruto sighed, "Capturing her was my first mission as a gennin as well." He looked at Sasuke. "I looked just like you at the end." He smiled. "Why don't we get you home and clean you up. You look like crap."

***Sage***

Sasuke sat in his bed, tossing a tomato in his hands. His mind was wandering over what Naruto had told him two months ago during their introductions. Itachi was on his mind again. All he could remember was his brother's Sharingan eyes staring into his own and he sent him into a torture that he'll never forgive him for.

***Flashback***

"Sasuke-kun, stop following me."

"You bastard! Why did you kill our parents!"

"Why." Itachi muttered in a flat, careless voice, but it felt ominous. He turned and faced little Sasuke. "To test my strength." He took slow steps toward the boy.

Sasuke tried to back up, but he tripped and fell. "Stay away! Get away from me!" He was shaking in fear and anger and despair. Tears ran down his face. "STAY AWAY!"

Itachi knelt down next to him and his two fingers poked his forehead. "If you wish to defeat me, hate me. Fill your mind and body with hate. When you can see the way I see, then you can defeat me." He stared deep into Sasuke's eyes. "Tsukiomi..."

Sasuke's face paled in fear, Itachi's face disappeared and he was watching the death of his parents over and over. He screamed in agony and fear."

***End Flashback***

Sasuke closed his eyes, fighting the tears that were surfacing. In his mind he was hearing two voices. Itachi's "hate me" and Naruto's "what would you have after". It was hurting him so much, tearing him in two. He didn't know what to do or what to think. His team meant a lot to him, but his parents' death was horrible. They didn't deserve that death. Itachi needed to pay for what he did.

Sasuke eventually passed out from exhaustion and stress. He normal nightmares began.

Naruto looked around the kitchen. "Kiyoko, have you seen Sasuke?"

"I saw him go upstairs, that was the last I saw of him."

He nodded his thanks and walked up the stairs. He saw Sasuke's door ajar and he walked in quietly. He saw Sasuke laying on his back, one arm over his head. But his face was just tortured. Naruto walked over to his side. "Sasuke?"

In one swift motion, Sasuke lurched forward at Naruto, knocked him into the wall and pinned him by his throat. Sasuke had grabbed a kunai and yelled, "Stay away!"

Naruto met Sasuke's distressed eyes very calmly. "Sasuke," he coaxed softly, "Put the kunai down...I'm not going to hurt you."

Sasuke's eyes widened in recognition. The kunai fell from his shaking hand and he fell to his knees. His entire body was shaking, little gasps escaping from his lips.

Naruto knelt down beside him. "Sasuke, it's okay. You didn't hurt me at all." He rubbed the boy's back gently.

"It won't leave my mind!" Sasuke groaned, "I can't let them go! He has to pay for what he has done! But I can't betray you and Ino and Hinata...I don't know what to do!" He closed his eyes tightly, fighting those tears that would betray his feelings. "I'm lost, Sensei!"

Naruto pushed Sasuke up to sit up and meet his eyes. "Sasuke, I want you to think really hard about this. Take all the time you need, but just think about it. If you leave now to kill him, what will you become when you return to us? Will you be able to return to the way things are right now?"

Sasuke looked at him with pained eyes. For the first time in his whole life, somebody had stopped to help him when he needed it most.

"I knew Itachi before he left the village. He was a great guy. He bragged about you a lot. You were the best thing in his life. You meant the world to him."

"Then why? Why did he kill our parents? Why did his destroy my life?"

Naruto sighed, "I wish I knew, Sasuke."

***Sage***

_Angel: Okay, this one is finished. Finally! I hope you like this one. And some clarification on the plot. Yes, Naruto is 23, but no, he won't be romancing a teenager. They will be at least 17 when the hints start coming in. And as for the training goes, Naruto is taking his time because they need to learn the basics of assassination first before getting hard on them. There, now that everything is cleared up, I can work deeper into the missions._


	6. Chapter 6

**Demon: Sorry I wasn't there the last chapter, I decided to stay in bed.**

_Angel: And the last chapter was more or less filler for me because I didn't exactly know a way to make info-gathering and tracking exercises fun. So I just threw in a mission and some Sensei wisdom and there was a filler chapter. Demon and I dove deeper into what we'd like to do for each character's relationship with Naruto._

**Demon: Like we said before, this story had Yaoi and Yuri in it. We'll warn you later when they come close.**

***Sage***

Two months passed ever since the Tora the cat mission. Naruto worked on the team's physical and chakra stamina. He taught them more about their duty as assassins, mostly how to survive in any situation.

Hinata looked at the woods behind her, then looked at Naruto. "What are we d-doing, S-sensei?"

"Imagine this, guys," Naruto said, "You have an assignment to assassinate a leader who is posing a threat of war on the whole Elemental Nations. You know that every month he passes through these woods behind you and that is all you can salvage of him. You missed his last trip by a day...so guess where you are going to stake out?"

"In the forest?" Ino answered.

"Yep," Naruto said, "You can't leave the forest because there is a chance you could lose the guy. So you have to practically live in the forest with only your kunai, and the senbon that has the targets name on it...if you are lucky to have that at all." He uncrossed his arms. "So, give me your weapons...all of them."

"What?" Sasuke muttered.

"All your weapons." Naruto took each kunai and shiruken they gave him. "Now, behind you is the forest you will live in for a month. You must survive as if you are waiting for the target and you can't leave any trace of human life here. You have three paths you can take: you will either hunt, forage, or die. And let me tell you this, dying doesn't taste good and you can't live on just berries and roots and plants the entire time."

He performed several handseals then slammed his palm on the ground. An almost invisible barrier formed between them and him and went deeper into the forest. He stood back up, running his fingers through his hair. "Well then, hopefully I'll see you guys in a month." With a smirk, he turned on his heels and walked toward the house. "Ja ne!" He waved at them.

Sasuke growled and charged at him to find himself repelled by the barrier. He landed on his back with a grunt.

Naruto turned his head. "Oh and another thing, that barrier depletes chakra every time you touch it. Better save your strength, Sasuke-chan. In one months time, this barrier will disappear, allowing you to come back home." He walked away, leaving the three of them alone with the forest behind them.

Sasuke stood up and sighed, "Alright, lets go find a river. If we can find the water source, we should be okay." Both girls just nodded and they followed him into the dark forest.

Hinata looked around, seeing little rays of light splash the forest with spots of green. It didn't seem scary at all. She looked at Ino and saw the same fascination in her eyes. Though when she looked at Sasuke, his eyes seem too deep in thought for him to even notice the forest.

After about a half an hour of walking, they found a small river with fresh cold water. Ino slipped off her shoes and walked in. The water level stopped at her knees and she smiled. "This feels great!"

Sasuke looked around, finding some dead pieces of wood. "Hinata, gather some wood around here to make a fire later today. I'm going to go look for food to store." He turned and walked off.

Ino and Hinata met eyes, both of them were worrying over Sasuke. He seemed to have started to withdraw into himself. They've never felt so useless to him before...at least they thought they were useless to him. He rarely talked to them except a simple greeting or a question. He never teased them the way he used to before they became gennin.

"I-Ino-chan?" Hinata whispered.

"Yeah?" Ino answered, looking at her.

"I-I'm worried about S-Sasuke-kun," Hinata muttered quietly, trying to stay calm, "He's not h-himself."

Ino looked in the direction that Sasuke disappeared to go gather food. "I know, Hina-chan...me too."

Sasuke sighed as he made himself a basket out of bark to carry berries and nuts and roots. He'd let Hinata sort through them, that's her specialty in survival situations. He heard a noise and froze, letting his eyes scan through the area. Then he saw a rabbit jump out. A nice plump brown rabbit. He met eyes with it and stared deeply into them. _'Kill it...just use a little fire-ball and kill it. We'll have meat tonight.'_ He slowly made the handseals, applying the chakra. Then he blew fire from his lips enough to burn the little rabbit to a crisp. He smirked and grabbed the rabbit by the ears and carried it back to camp.

***Sage***

Naruto looked at Kiyoko from his window. She was out in the garden again, dangling her feet in the pond. She was so fragile that he was always afraid of leaving her alone when he was younger. Now he doesn't want her to leave the meadow. She was all he had as family...he was reminded so much of his mother when he looked into her green eyes. Naruto may have inherited most of his father's characteristics, they both had a connection through their mother, even if Kiyoko didn't remember her much. He remembered the day that she was born...and the day his life changed forever.

***Flashback***

"Naruto, hold Kiyoko!" Kushina cried as she placed the bundle holding his baby sister in his arms. She kissed both of their foreheads. "Naruto, be strong for us. You'll be a hero to the village."

Minato performed the seals that only the Hokages know. Behind him appeared the ghastly figure of the Shinigami. Naruto's eyes widened in fear, never before had he seen this jutsu used by his father before. Minato thrust his arm out, his hands seeming like he was grasping something. Then from behind Naruto, he heard an agonizing scream. He turned around and saw the Kyuubi being clutched by the hand of the Shinigami.

"Naruto..." Minato called out. Naruto turned around, holding his baby sister close to him. Kushina placed the Dead Demon Consuming Seal on his belly. He lets out a cry in shock as he felt his chakra points open up. "Naruto, be strong for us."

"Keep looking at me, baby," Kushina coaxed, "Hold your sister tightly."

Naruto couldn't describe the feeling he had that knotted in his belly. Something wasn't right, he had a bad feeling about what was happening. Suddenly he let out a scream in pain that made Kushina's heart ache. Minato had to close his eyes to avoid meeting the eyes of his son. It hurt him too much.

Kushina watched the Kyuubi's chakra get sucked into the Shinigami's hand and slowly pushed through the seal into young Naruto's body.

Naruto cried in pain, clinging to his sister and mother. He felt the strange chakra force itself into his body. If he could form words in his mind, his thoughts would be, _'This hurts more than when I ate too much ramen!'_ He felt so full of that chakra. His skin was boiling yet freezing. He let out another scream in pain.

Kushina watched the demon get pulled into her little boy. Suddenly, the fox's head whipped around, seeing where he was being sealed into. He snarled. "Oh no! Minato!"

Minato opened his eyes and saw the demon fox pull his claws back, ready to strike. "NO!" He jumped toward his wife and children, praying to any God that would hear his plea. _'Let me protect my family!'_ He saw Kushina throw herself between the claws and her children. At the last second, Minato threw himself in front of her and they both felt the sharp pierce of the Kyuubi's claws. They both grunted and Kushina clasped onto Minato. When the rest of Kyuubi was sealed into Naruto, the claws were ripped out of their bodies and they fell away from Naruto.

Naruto had screamed when the demon had struck his parents. He felt their hot blood drip onto his face and his eyes couldn't close to get rid of the horrific image. He clung to his baby sister tightly, trying to shield her eyes. The blood had spilled onto her as well and she was wailing for her mother. Naruto fell to his knees next to his parents, placing his baby sister next to him. He shook them desperately. "Mommy! Daddy!" Right now, the pain was nowhere in his mind even though he was in absolute agony.

Minato shifted and opened his eyes, he saw Naruto trying to get them up. He smiled. "Naruto..."

"Daddy! Please, get up!" Naruto nudged Minato more and tugged on his arm. He didn't notice the blood that was all over his hands now. When Kushina opened her eyes, Naruto tugged onto her arm. "Mommy! Get up! Mommy!"

Kushina smiled. There was no pain in her...she knew she would never get up again. "No, baby Naruto." She held his hand. "I've protected you and given you the strength to become a great man. Take care of your baby sister. She's very precious."

Naruto's tears were washing some of the blood away from his face. He squeezed her hand as tight as he could. Then he felt his father's hand cover both of theirs. Naruto looked up to meet his father's bright blue eyes. "Bring Kiyoko here, we want to see her one last time." Naruto picked up his baby sister carefully and brought her to his parents. Minato smiled at the crying baby. "Kiyoko, don't cry. Your big brother will protect you."

Kushina kissed her forehead and the babe stopped wailing. She looked at them with bright green eyes. "Be strong, little girl." She kissed Naruto's forehead. "Be strong, my son, you are a hero to her."

When Kushina's eyes closed finally, Minato pulled her close. He wrapped his arms around his children and held them tightly. "We'll always love you, Naruto and Kiyoko. We'll always be with you." The man's arms went limp and fell away, collapsing onto Kushina.

Naruto's chin trembled, his eyes watered more and he collapsed to his knees, crying over his parents. He mourned until a force of Konoha's ANBU came in and carried him away. He screamed when they tried to take Kiyoko out of his arms, kicking them and he began to run.

"Naruto!" one ANBU member called out, then chased after him.

Naruto ran hard, fighting against the pain that was surfacing from the sealing. He bit his lip and ran harder. He didn't look where he was going and he bumped into something. When he fell on his bottom, he looked up to see a man much taller than his father with long white hair. Red marks streamed from the man's eyes. He knelt down to meet Naruto's eyes. "Now, why are you running away, Naruto?"

"How do you know my name!" Naruto cried.

The man chuckled, "I helped your father pick it out." He patted the boy's head. "Now, why don't we get you and your baby sister to the hospital. You two need to be taken care of."

Behind the man, Naruto saw a glowing red eye in the darkness, the rest of the face was covered by a orange swirling mask...and it faded away into the blackness of the night.

***8 years later***

"Oni-san!" Kiyoko cried out running into her older brother's arms. Naruto held his little sister close after coming home from a harsh day of missions. Naruto at age 15 is already a chunnin due to his fast advancement and hard training.

Naruto smiled down at his little sister. "Imoto, did you have a good day?"

She smiled brightly and nodded. "Yep! I planted more flowers in the garden today. I planted white lilies because I know how much you love them in the garden." She led Naruto back to the house, going on and on about her day. He smiled at her, letting his day stay in the farthest corner in his mind. Whenever he is with Kiyoko, he can never be sad or angry. He never wanted to hurt her.

Kiyoko stopped suddenly, doubling over and started coughing. Naruto dropped to his knees, holding her still. "Kiyoko, are you okay?" She couldn't stop coughing, and soon he saw blood. "Kiyoko, sit down, I'm going to help you." He helped her sit on her knees and he rubbed his hands together. _'Kyuubi, lend me your chakra to heal her.'_ When he felt the sharp pain from his stomach begin to feed chakra to his hands. He place his hands on her chest and back and fed the chakra to her body. His arms got really hot, his skin almost boiling. He didn't pull away or cry out in pain like he did for 10 years. His sister needed this chakra inside her, he wasn't going to let anything stop him from giving it to her.

Soon she stopped coughing and began to breathe heavily to regain her air. Naruto backed up slowly, feeling his arms go cold suddenly, but he ignored it. "Kiyoko? Are you okay?"

Kiyoko slowed her breath down and managed to calm down. She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm fine now, Oni-san."

***end flashback***

Naruto sighed. Ever since the day his parents were killed as they were trying to protect them, he took on the duty to protect Kiyoko. And he intended to protect her even through his own death. He'd never let her get hurt by anybody or anything.

***Sage***

Hinata climbed up the tree and scouted the area, looking for some prey for Sasuke to get for meat using her Byakugan. "Sasuke, there's a group of rabbits about 30 feet away."

Sasuke nodded and ran forward with his wooden blade he made with fire and a fallen tree. Hinata jumped down from the tree and landed next to Ino. They both looked into the direction where Sasuke ran off in when they heard the struggle of Sasuke trying to catch the rabbits. A few moments of silence passed and Sasuke emerged from the thicket holding three rabbits by the ears. A victorious smile played his face. "Here we are," he chimed, "Ino, do you want to skin them?"

Ino made a face. "No way! I am not touching that!"

Sasuke sighed, "You're gonna have to learn to get your hands dirty some time."

"I just don't want to touch blood," Ino whined.

"We've been here for three weeks!" Sasuke growled, "And you still haven't gotten over the fact that I'm killing rabbits and other animals so that we can eat. I'm going to teach you how to skin a rabbit and you are going to skin a rabbit. If we are going to be assassins we're gonna have to get over the blood we see." Sasuke's hands began to shake. "You have to be strong, Ino!"

Ino winced at the anger in Sasuke's voice. She lowered her head, casting her gaze down. She didn't argue any more. He was right, she's the only one who hasn't gotten the stomach to do any killing. She needed to swallow her fear and pride and do what she needs to do. "Alright, Sasuke-kun, show me what to do."

Sasuke hesitated, feeling surprised that Ino didn't fight him. "Um...okay."

***Sage***

Hinata ran back to the camp, Sasuke and Ino both looked at her confused. "What's going on, Hinata?"

"The barrier...it's gone. The exercise is over! We can go back!"

Ino laughed and ran ahead. Sasuke got up, putting the fire out with dirt and he followed the girls. He walked up next to them, his hands in his pockets with a smile on his face. The three of them looked toward the house and saw Naruto walking toward them.

Naruto smirked. _'They survived...perfect.'_ He stopped before them, looking at their dirty bodies. "Well done! I'm surprised you managed to survive." The three smile at him...even Sasuke. Naruto smiled kindly. "Now, before I let you go in and rest, I have two things to do." He handed them a piece of paper.

Hinata looked confused. "S-sensei? It's a piece of p-paper?"

"Not just any paper," Naruto said, "It's chakra paper. When you push chakra into it, it'll show you what your element is."

Sasuke lowered his hand. "But I use fire."

"Ah, just because you are using the family's jutsu, that doesn't mean that you could have a different element. I want you to push your chakra into the paper and that'll determine your training from here on out in jutsu."

When all three pushed the chakra in, they waited for the paper to react. Ino's paper turned into dust, Hinata's tore easily being soaked, and Sasuke's burnt into a crisp from a little lightning zap that hit his paper. Naruto smiled. "Just as a thought." The three of them looked at him. "I thought you'd be those elements. You all showed potential of gaining an element and I just guessed based on what your chakra felt to me." He sighed. "Now, it's time to tell you your next mission."

"What is it?" Ino asked.

"Is it another shopping errand for an old lady or babysitting for a mother?" Sasuke asked.

"Nope, you actually get to leave the village for a few weeks." Naruto smiled. "We are going to help a bridge builder get back home. It's most likely that bandits would attack him, so we are going to protect him if the need arises. We leave tomorrow so pack up some clothes and supplies." He looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke, bring your katana."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Why?"

"I think you are ready to use it." Naruto said with a smile, "I've been watching you train with it and I gotta say, I'm impressed. I never thought somebody as young as you would be good with that blade. Bring it, you might need it."

Sasuke nodded. Naruto let them go inside to take their showers and get something to eat. All the while, Sasuke began to think again about his brother. But every time he thought about him, he would see the images of his team and his sensei. He was so torn between the two.

***Sage***

_Angel: There's the chapter. I'm so glad I finally got through typing this one. It took me a while._

**Demon: Oh and we keep forgetting to remind you, there is a poll on our profile page about Forbidden Desert Love for those fans that are waiting for that story as well.**

_Angel: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please, review and ask questions if you are confused. Love you all, my readers!_


	7. Chapter 7

Naruto hugged Kiyoko. "We'll keep you posted on our return."

She nodded. "Just be careful, Oni-san, I know how you can get reckless."

He laughed, "I may be reckless, but nothing has been able to take me down." He smiled. "But don't worry, I'll be careful."

Kiyoko bid farewell to the team and watched them leave toward the village. When they were out of sight, she disappeared into the house, grabbing her bag that she had packed for a week. She left the house and walked toward the village gate, keeping herself hidden.

Naruto stopped when he saw Kakashi standing with his team. "Hey, Kakashi," he called, "I'm surprised you're here earlier than me. Usually we'd have to wait an hour for you."

He looked at the team that responded to his voice. Kiba and Sai looked at him with the simple turn of their heads. Sakura turned around and her eyes lit up. "Sasuke-kun!" she squealed. Sasuke stopped mid-step, his face was transformed from relaxed and thoughtful to disturbed, annoyed, and fearful. He grit his teeth when Sakura threw herself to hug him, pushing Hinata and Ino aside. "Sasuke-kun! I missed you so much! You've changed since I last saw you after graduation. You look amazing! Have I changed? Do I look more womanly to you?"

Sasuke grunted, stopping himself from blurting out his thoughts. _'I swear to God, you are so damn annoying! Leave me alone you crazy fangirl bitch!'_ He didn't answer her and instead turned away. But Sakura got smart and blocked him again, talking to him more with her awful banshee voice.

Naruto twitched, his fingers in his ears to try to block out the screeching that he was being tortured with. It was awful, and Sasuke looked like he was going to die of horror. It wasn't until Kakashi cleared his throat that the torture ended. Sakura left Sasuke alone and Kakashi closed his book. "Alright, we'll leave in a few moments." Kakashi looked at Naruto. "Naruto, I assume that you might have a plan of how to arrange us."

Naruto smirked. "Of course. When do I not have a plan?" He faced the six gennin. "Alright, kids. Team Uzumaki will be surrounding the whole traveling group, ready to spot and stop bandits from attacking. Team Kakashi, you will be protecting Tazuna up close just in case of the rare event of a bandit getting past my team." As he disclosed the plan, a smug smirk was forming and soon he was smiling fully.

Kiba snarled, "Hey, why do we have to stay behind and guard the old man?"

Naruto looked at the dog-boy. "Because my team is much better at fighting than you are."

All of Team Kakashi looked at Team Uzumaki with disbelief. "No way," Sai muttered, "I can believe that Sasuke-san is a better fighter, but not the girls."

Sasuke smirked. Sai was underestimating his girls and that was a bad mistake. Sure, they didn't have a weapon like he did. But Hinata had something under her sleeve that she's been begging to use for quite some time. He looked over at Hinata and saw the bandages around her wrist that held the weapon close to her skin and within reach. He was anticipating her using it as well. He's seen it during the weapons training and saw its potential. "I wouldn't underestimate my teammates if I were you, Sai-san," he said in a calm voice, "They've managed to land a few hits on me...and even Sensei. Against you, they can kill you if ordered to."

Naruto looked at Sasuke, seeing that deviant smirk of his. He has come far in the past five months. At first, he was completely anti-social, refusing to open up to anybody. Now he's much more relaxed about being around people, he's quite thoughtful and enjoys joking with the girls and him. Though he's a little too thoughtful when he's by himself. Thinking about Itachi is driving him mad. He gets touchy about the subject of family and siblings. There was that one day where Sasuke lashed out at Naruto when he was having a nightmare about Itachi. Even though it's been ten years since that night, Sasuke still looks like it just happened last night. _'Sasuke, you're going to be hard to reach. Itachi has destroyed your ability to trust. And I am to fix it.'_

"Alright then," Kakashi sighed, "Let's get going, shall we?"

The group set off toward Wave, leaving the village behind them. Naruto stayed in the far back so he can watch his team work. He had the strange feeling that something was following them. He looked around. Was it possible that bandits were tracking Tazuna? He stopped and the group stopped. Sasuke was scanning the area and Hinata was waiting for the signal to use her eyes. Naruto faced the forest and crossed his arms. "Who's there?"

The bushes shifted, rustling the leaves. A person in a green cloak stood out. They were about the gennin's height. They held a dark blue metal stick with carvings of Kanji in it and red gems inserted deeper. The person let the hood fall and Naruto gasped, seeing his sister standing there smiling at him. "Hi, Oni-san!"

Naruto twitched. "Kiyoko! What the hell are you doing! You're not supposed to leave the house!"

"But I wanted to come with you," Kiyoko said with her charming smile, "I wanted to see my brother fight some bandits."

"This is too dangerous!" Naruto exclaimed, "You can get hurt!"

"No I won't," she chimed, "I have you and Ino and Hinata and Sasuke. You guys are great! I can help."

"With what?" Naruto grunted.

Kiyoko gave him a look that made Sasuke shudder. Naruto hesitated, taking a step back. Why did he ask her that question? He knew full and well what his baby sister could do. He was crazy to doubt her ability. He sighed, "Okay, okay...you can come with us. Just let us do the big fighting, okay? You're really not supposed to go on a mission with us, but I'll let you this time."

He was tackled in a hard hug by her. He grunted as she squeezed. She smiled. "Thank you, Oni-san! Thank you!"

"Yeah yeah," Naruto muttered, pulling her off of him, "Go stand by Kakashi. They need some long range attacks like your stick."

When Kiyoko took her place, the group moved forward. Sasuke looked around some more, keeping an eye out for anything that didn't fit. After a few hours, he noticed a puddle in the middle of the road. He stopped and everybody else followed suit. He looked at Hinata and nodded at the puddle. Hinata activated her Byakugan. The puddle was a huge mass of chakra. Two men were hiding in the form of water. She looked at Naruto and nodded at him. He pulled out his weapon...two katars. He held them in his hands, gripping the triggers lightly. The double blade was wide with engravings on the side of the blade. On the hand guard was a pistol barrel. It looked old, but it was ready to use.

Suddenly two human forms clad in black cloaks jumped out and attacked. "Stay back!" Naruto yelled to Team Kakashi as he charged on ahead.

Sasuke and Hinata dodged one way and Ino went the opposite direction. Sasuke slid and spun around to face Hinata. "Hinata, grab my hand!" Hinata reached out and grabbed onto him. He spun around twice and sling-shot her into the air above the two attackers. Hinata reached into her shuriken holsters and pulled out several and threw them at the attackers. Ino pulled out a few kunai and shot them forward with all her strength. The two blades connected to the two men to a tree, making them stuck.

Hinata landed smoothly with a smile. Naruto smiled proudly at their teamwork. "Well done..."

There was a loud rip and saw the two ninja break free of the hold. One charged straight to Naruto and the other ran toward Tazuna and his guards. Sasuke felt his body take over, charging toward the group and threw himself between the attacking nin and their client.

Hinata had to act quickly. She ripped the bandages off of her wrist and slapped the seal that was placed there. Her hand glowed and formed a crescent shape about her height from top to bottom. She focused on her target and drew a chakra string back. A chakra arrow formed just before she released the string. The arrow flew fast and struck the attacker in both knees just after he struck Sasuke. He fell, screaming in agony. Sasuke looked up and saw Hinata standing there, tall and proud with her bow in her hand. He smirked. "Thanks, Hinata."

She released her fingers and the chakra was absorbed into her wrist band. She ran toward him, seeing that he was holding his arm close to him. "Let me see, Sasuke." She saw a tear in his jacket, but no blood. She helped him take it off and saw that there was no injury. She let out a sigh of relief. "You're fine, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled at her and they both looked to find Naruto and the other nin that attacked him. They saw him standing there with his arm around his opponent like they were best buds. When Naruto removed his arm, the body fell to the ground, his head barely supported on his shoulders. His neck was just as thin as bone. Both Sasuke and Hinata shuddered seeing that Naruto had no expression on his face from the kill. Sakura almost screamed in horror until Kiyoko covered her mouth.

"Just shut up for once!" she hissed.

Naruto smirked seeing Hinata checking Ino for injuries and finding none. "Great work, team." He walked over to the whimpering nin that Hinata struck down and he picked him up. "You stay here and keep a perimeter, I'm going to get some answers."

"Yes, Sensei." All three replied in unison.

***Sage***

All of them had managed to pile onto a boat without sinking it and they set sail across the channel. Naruto looked at his team and Kakashi's team and he found himself surprised. Even though they were the same age, they didn't look it. Sasuke had the look of a true adult and Ino and Hinata looked ready to seduce their targets for the kill. It was interesting how five months seemed to change his team from bright eyed, nervous kids to confident, strong ninja. He was proud of them for how far they've come. They were advancing just as fast as he did at their age.

Then he looked at their client, Tazuna. This mission had gone from a C rank to at least a B rank. He still hadn't told the group just yet because he didn't want to mess up their confidence. Though when he noticed Hinata and Ino look at him, he saw a knowing look in their eyes. They knew something wasn't right with this mission, but they didn't question him. _'Very wise, girls,'_ he thought, _'You'll find out soon enough.'_

When they reached land, Kakashi pulled Naruto to the side. "What did you get out of that Chunnin?" he muttered, "This mission isn't a C rank anymore, is it?"

Naruto shook his head. "It's a B rank, at least," he whispered, "If we have a Jounin opponent at the lowest, this mission crosses the A rank threshold. Let's just hope that we don't have to put our students through that." _'At least Kakashi's students.'_ he added in his mind. He knew that his students could tackle that rank of a mission after a few more lessons and come out of the mission with minor injuries. But to put Kakashi's team through that would cause their death and his failure. He didn't want to kill children in any way.

"Why would Tazuna lie to us?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto looked at the bridge-builder. "Let's ask him." He looked around Kakashi at the old man. "Tazuna-sama, can we speak to you privately?"

The old man nodded and walked over to them. "Is something wrong?"

Naruto looked at him with hard eyes. "What had attacked us was a Chunnin ranked ninja team. Now, if I was doing this mission for the proper rank with the proper team I wouldn't mind it as much. But back there, our students' lives were at risk. What is it that you are not telling us?"

Tazuna looked away quickly, hiding his discord. "Alright, you caught me." He sighed. "Our village doesn't make a lot of money, we are a poor country. I've been trying to build this bridge so that our economy can grow. But there is a man who is hindering my advances. Gato...he owns the shipping industry and therefore controls everything that goes on in the water. He owns pirates and bandits to stop competition. He owns the country and is taxing us not only for our money...but our lives."

Naruto grunted, hiding the anger that was beginning to build. "And you wanted help from us, so you asked for simple protection from lousy bandits."

"Trust me when I say this," Tazuna muttered, "I was expecting bandits...but not the ninja."

"This is getting serious," Kakashi said, "Those ninja that attacked us where attacking to kill, not injure. If Gato can get his hands on a few Chunnin, who's to say that he'll get a hold of a Jounin like Naruto or me?"

"This is starting to sound like a scam that employers will do." Naruto looked at Kakashi. "Kakashi, during some of my assassination missions, a missing Nin is usually hired for this kind of thing. Offered by a large sum of money and promises of protection, they'll oblige. What almost always happens is that at the last second of the deal...the ninja gets betrayed, usually after a harsh fight. Then they disappear. That is why some of those hunts you had to go on ended up with nothing. Most of those Ninja are most likely dead."

Kakashi grunted and looked at the six gennin and Naruto's little sister. With the knowledge they had now, they were in danger. And Naruto was sure of his students. "What do you propose we do, Naruto?"

"We'll go on forward, but if we get attacked by a more powerful force, you and I will handle it." He threw a look toward the Gennin. "I don't want them to die so young."

Kakashi nodded. "Alright, lets keep going."

Naruto whistled and his team spread out. "We're heading out again. We have another day to get to Tazuna's home." He lead the group when suddenly he stopped, hearing shifting in the bushes. He threw a kunai, feeling quite jumpy, toward the sound. When the sound stopped, he walked cautiously into the bush. Sasuke looked around, keeping watch around Naruto to make sure nothing was going to get him by surprise.

Naruto looked at the body of a dead white rabbit. _'I flipped out about a little rabbit?'_ He muttered a little apology to the poor rabbit. He was about to turn around when something clicked in his brain. _'Wait a minute! That rabbit only turns white during winter, it's in the middle of spring.'_ He backed up quickly enough to alarm the team. Sasuke looked around. Naruto met Hinata's eyes and pointed to his eye. Hinata nodded and activated her byakugan and looked around. Just as she turned around, she saw a giant blade spinning toward them.

"DUCK!"

***Sage***

_Angel: **cough** hahaha! What's gonna happen next! You'll find out next chapter.!_

**Demon: **whimpers** more...give me more!**


	8. Chapter 8

_Angel: I'm so happy that this story is just plain awesome! I'm just enjoying writing this story!_

**Demon: And soon this story will just rock your world! Enjoy Chapter 8!**

***Sage***

Naruto looked at the giant blade that they just avoided and saw it had wedged itself into a tree. On top of it was a scary looking man wearing a bandaged mask the same was Kakahsi wore his. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Momochi Zabuza, we meet again."

Zabuza looked at the blonde shinobi. "I'm sorry, I don't recall you." He turned his gaze to the silver haired shinobi. "Now as for you, Kakashi of the Sharingan, I remember you very well." He chuckled. "You have a very high ranking in the bingo book."

"Demon of the Bloody Mist," Kakashi sighed, "So, Gato has hired you to stop the bridge-builder I take it?"

"That's right," Zabuza answered, "Enough talk, let me at the bridge-builder and you can go home."

"Never!" Sasuke shouted. He got a running start and he began his leap right past Naruto when suddenly he felt a hand touch his shoulder gently and felt a force push down on him. His feet disappeared from underneath him and he did a backflip and hit the ground face first right at Naruto's feet. He grunted, pushing himself up by his hands. "What the hell?"

"Stay with the others, Sasuke." Naruto said in a firm voice, "They'll need you. You have to protect the three useless ones. This is my fight."

Sasuke froze in place, knowing that he meant Kakashi's team. He stood up and walked back without an argument. He stopped right behind Naruto and said in a calm voice, "Don't die out there, Sensei. We need you."

Naruto smirked. "I won't let anything happen to you three...I promise."

Sasuke gasped, remembering what Naruto had said the day they all met. _'I am a man of his word. Which is why you'll rarely hear me make a promise. I don't want to have to break a promise because fate would stop me.' _Sasuke corrected his stance and hurried to the others, standing in front of them, his hand ready to grab his sword.

Naruto watched Zabuza pull his sword out of the tree. He reached into his vest and grabbed the handles of his katars, then pulled them out and took his stance. "Prepare to die, demon!" Naruto pushed chakra into his feet and took off running as fast as wind. He practically disappeared in the eyes of the gennin, but Kakashi saw every move but had to remove his headband to see with his Sharingan.

Zabuza caught the movements and the pattern...he had seen them before. Six years ago, an assassin had tried to kill him after his own attempt to assassinate the Mizukage. Now he remembered this shinobi's code name... "The Demon Hidden in the Wind. We meet again. I must say, I thought you'd be much older."

Naruto yelled as he made his killing strike, only to be blocked by that giant sword. He met the black eyes of the ninja that stood two whole heads taller than him. Naruto snarled, "Fucking die!" He kicked upward and his leg was caught in Zabuza's hand, giving Naruto the advantage to push him away. Naruto glared at the man. "I may not have the Sharingan, but I can see your future...and I see you death!" Naruto charged after Zabuza as the man began running on the water. Naruto threw kunai and shuriken out of rage. They were always blocked by Zabuza's sword

"You can't kill me, runt!" Zabuza laughed, "You'll fail just like the last time."

Naruto screamed throwing a punch with his blade out ready for the kill when Zabuza grabbed his wrist. He grunted and tried to pull away, but Zabuza keep his firm grip. Naruto felt the water bubble underneath him and then start climbing the air around. Finally he was trapped in an orb of water...and he couldn't move. "What the hell?"

Kakashi cursed under his breath. "Shit!"

Ino looked at Kakashi. "What is it, Kakashi-sensei?"

"That jutsu, Water Prison Jutsu, is used with chakra enhanced water. It doesn't drain his chakra, but his air is limited and he can't move. As long as Zabuza has his arm in the prison, Naruto is trapped."

"N-Naruto-sensei is tr-trapped?" Hinata whimpered. She looked forward and saw Sasuke turn his head to look at her. Her lavender eyes were scared and upset. Ino's eyes widened.

Naruto noticed waves start to hit his bubble he was trapped in. He looked around and found his team and Kakashi's team. Nobody had moved, but Kakashi looked like he was ready to jump in. He saw Sasuke turn his head around to face him, something in Sasuke's eyes made Naruto grit his teeth. "Don't you dare move, Sasuke. If he goes after you guys, I want you to run!"

"NO!" Hinata cried.

Naruto heard water rush away from him. He managed to turn his head and saw a wave heading right toward him. He smirked. _'She's unlocked it.'_ The wave crashed down upon them and it took a lot from Zabuza to hold himself in place and not lose the Water Prison Jutsu.

Sasuke reached into his bag and pulled out a long curved blade. He held the blade up through the circular handle and the blade split into four. He smirked, gripping the fuma shuriken tighter. "Ino, Hinata, cover me." He jumped back over them and gained distance, then took off running, unaware of the chakra he was pushing into his feet.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, "I said stay back!" He clutched his chest, knowing he shouldn't have done that. He cut his air supply but a little more than he wanted.

Sasuke grunted when he jumped clear over their heads. He seemed to have underestimated his jump because he was clearing the tops of trees. He pushed chakra into his hand and he threw the shuriken, letting it go toward Zabuza. Naruto watched the weapon spin faster. _'Sasuke, you crazy boy! That blade always has drag. Zabuza will dodge it easily...'_ He looked at it again and saw the sparks that were emitting from the spin. _'Well I'll be damned! That boy used his elemental chakra and charged up the shuriken.'_

The attack came too fast at Zabuza for him to dodge it without losing the jutsu. He jumped to the side, watching the Water Prison collapse. Naruto gasped, taking as much air as he could in and he reached his hand out, grabbing the shuriken. He glared at Zabuza, then threw the weapon in his direction. Zabuza dodged it easier than when Sasuke threw it. He didn't see Naruto charge at him and ended up with Naruto's foot in his face. Zabuza jumped over Naruto and charged to the team and bridge-builder. He grabbed his blade and pulled it behind him, ready to strike. Sasuke quickly pulled out his katana, ready to take the blow.

Hinata screamed when the blade struck down toward the team. They all felt a few droplets of blood. When they looked, they saw Naruto had grabbed the blade in his palm. He growled, blood running down his arm. "This battle is mine, Zabuza. You leave my team out of this." He kicked Zabuza away and pulled out his katar. He winced in pain when he clenched his fist around the handle.

The true fighting began, Naruto couldn't get a hit in. He blocked with his blade the most he could but he ended up with some severe cuts. He slid to a halt several yards away. He clutched his arm, trying to stop the bleeding. He bit his lip to keep him from yelling in pain. Zabuza stood up, suddenly he collapsed as if he was struck down easily. Naruto grunted, falling to his knees.

"Sensei!" Hinata cried taking off toward him. Ino and Sasuke followed closely, they all knelt by him, trying to help him up.

"Are you okay?" Ino asked.

"Take it easy, Sensei," Sasuke muttered, holding on to an arm as Kakashi took the other arm to help him stand.

Naruto grunted in pain from the movement. He looked forward, seeing a small hunter nin kneeling next to Zabuza's still body. "Wh-who the hell are you?"

The hunter nin looked at them. "Thank you for helping me find this man. I'll dispose of the body immediately." Then they both disappear in a puff of smoke.

Naruto shuddered and began to cough. Blood began coming out in chunks. Hinata pushed chakra into her hands and slammed her palms against his chest. Kiyoko dropped her walking stick and ran toward her brother. "Oni-san!" Ino grabbed her and held her still as the girl broke down into tears.

Suddenly Kakashi and Sasuke had to stop their knees from collapsing as Naruto passed out. "S-Sensei?" Sasuke gasped.

"He's passed out," Hinata sighed, "I had to stop his coughing so I induced a small coma." She looked at Kiyoko. "He'll be fine, Kiyoko. We just have to get him to the village." She looked at Tazuna, who had walked up with the other three gennin. "How much farther is the village?"

"A few miles away. We can make it before dark if we hurry."

Ino looked at the Kakashi and Sasuke who were holding Naruto against themselves. "Kakashi-sensei, can you carry him by yourself?"

"Yeah," Kakashi muttered. He pulled down his headband to cover his Sharingan.

"Sasuke-kun," Ino said, getting the raven haired boy's attention. "I want you to run to the village as fast as you can and get help to meet us as soon as you can get them to run." Sasuke nodded and took off running. Ino turned toward the other three gennin guarding Tazuna. "You three, keep your guard up. We can't afford another careless act out of anybody."

Kakashi smirked under his mask. _'Naruto, you've trained them well.'_ With Ino and Hinata's help, he managed to sling Naruto over his back. Hinata stood by their side in case Naruto woke up to retching coughs. Ino walked alongside Kiyoko, reassuring her once in a while that he was going to be okay.

***Sage***

Sasuke stopped in the village, panting hard. Sweat was running down his face and he looked around. "I need a medic!" The villagers around him stopped and looked at him strangely. It was the first time they saw a ninja like him. "Please, I need a medic! Our group was attacked and our Sensei is severely injured! We have the bridge-builder with us. Tazuna sent me to find a medic!"

"Tazuna?" a young woman gasped. She looked at the young man. He was too old to be a boy but too young to be a man. He was in between. "Father is in trouble?"

Sasuke looked at the young black haired woman. "He's safe, but our Sensei is injured. He won't make it if I can't get medical help right now!"

"Take me to them," she said.

"Can you run?" Sasuke asked, "It's about two miles away."

"I'll try my best," the woman answered and she ran after Sasuke when he led the way.

***Sage***

Kakashi laid Naruto on his back when he had woken up shaking terribly. Hinata and Ino bent over him trying to calm him down. "Sensei!" Ino called. She tore another bit of cloth and wrapped it around another bleeding wound she found. "He needs water!"

Sai knelt down beside them with his canteen. "Let me help," he muttered.

Ino smiled and managed to pour the water down Naruto's throat slowly. She rubbed his throat gently to help him drink it down. "Come on, Sensei. Just hold on, Sasuke-kun will return soon with help."

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screeched.

Kakashi, Hinata, and Ino all looked up to see Sasuke running with a woman with long black hair. Tazuna gasped. "Tsunami!"

"Father!" the woman cried softly. They hugged. "I'm so glad you're safe now."

"We're not out of the woods yet," Kakashi muttered, "We are still outside the village and very vulnerable to attack because Naruto is injured and can't stay conscious. We have to stabilize him first before we can move any further."

"I think the water is working," Hinata gasped. They all looked down seeing Naruto had begun to calm down. "We have to get him to the village in a hurry!"

"Do you have any herbs that will help him stay asleep?" Sasuke asked.

"Not on me, but there is an abundance around here." Tsunami answered, "You have to look for a specific number of petals and coloring." She described the flower and where it thrives the most. "Can you find it?"

Sasuke nodded and took off. Hinata took Naruto's hand into hers. She watched him struggle in pain from the injuries. _'Just hold on, Sensei.'_

***Sage***

_Angel: Well, I've finally learned that I just cannot write fights. I spent three days writing that damn fight and it took me 20 minutes to write from the end of the fight to now. Damn!_

**Demon: Angel! We have a problem!**

_Angel: What is it?_

**Demon: Um, The 9 escaped from his cage.**

_Angel: **eye twitch** How? When? Where is he?_

**Demon: **types away on a computer** According to the cameras...he's entered vault TLOTS.**

_Angel: **frozen for a moment** Shit! Do you know what this means! He's in this story! **string of forbidden words escape** He's going to ruin this story!_

**Demon: We are searching for him, but he must have put on a cloaking device. He can't be tracked.**

_Angel: Knowing him, he'll pop out of Narnia in the story and mess around with the scenes. Oh god! This is absolutely horrible. He's going to destroy this story!_

_**The 9: Or make it really fucking funny!**_

**Demon: Shit, he knows we're on to him! **turns to readers** Um, giant warning ahead! If you see a random guy come out and say something totally bizarre and out of context or teasing, that is The 9. Keep an eye out for him. We are going to try to capture him and bring him back to his cage.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Demon: Well I guess a certain somebody didn't think things through...did she?**

_Angel: Shut up, Demon! I was just so excited about this story that I didn't think of reasons._

**Demon: And who's imagination do you have to thank for pulling you through your trap of mistakes? Hmmmmmmmmmmm?**

_**The 9: Me damnit! **poofs away****_

_Angel: Damn! What the hell was that all about?_

**Demon: Um, if you recall Angel, The 9 escaped into this story...which means he'll also appear during our rants/discussions/whatever you want to call them.**

_Angel: **sigh** I know, I just try to ignore it. Anyhow. If any of your wonderful readers asked me questions about the previous chapter...all will be answered in this chapter..._

**Demon: Which is why it is so long. Hope you enjoy!**

***Sage***

Naruto winced in his deep sleep. The sedatives were wearing off and the pain had begun to tingle and settle in. He was muttering incoherently, tossing and turning. He clutched his pillow, growling. Suddenly he sat up, screaming, "KOMACHI!"

Kakashi and Kiyoko both gasped and met eyes from across the room. Naruto's team instantly rushed to his side when Naruto had doubled over in pain. "Naruto-sensei," Sasuke muttered calmly, "Don't move too much. You're still healing."

Naruto closed his eyes, hiding the threatening tears from his students. "Back up, please." When he felt their closeness thin he opened his chakra. _'Kyuubi, take care of the serious wounds, please.'_

_**'Naruto? You do not want me to heal you completely?'**_

_'Just do it!' _Naruto hissed when the internal injuries began to heat up and heal. He chuckled, "Hn, Zabuza really beat me up, didn't he?" He opened his eyes and looked around. He was laying in a room surrounded by his team and Kakashi's team. He met the eyes of Kiyoko. For once, she looked ready to protect him instead of the other way around. "Kiyoko? Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine, Oni-san." She walked to him and knelt beside him. "Are you okay?"

Naruto looked down, catching the other hidden question in his little sister's eyes. He knew that she didn't want to mention it because of the others. "I'll be fine." He looked at Kakashi and saw the same knowing, concerned expression that Kiyoko held. "Report, Kakashi."

As Kakashi gave his report, Naruto watched the gennin. Sasuke was cleaning his blade, Ino was meditating and Hinata was checking their supplies. He closed his eyes again after seeing the other three just sitting around doing nothing. He decided to let his mind wander. It wasn't long before he felt the hands of Kiyoko and Kakashi on his arm. He looked and saw that they were the only three in the room. "What?"

"I sent the kids to go train." Kakashi answered.

"Naruto Oni-san," Kiyoko sighed, "Soon they'll be asking questions."

Naruto sighed, "I know." He looked down again. "I don't want them to know just yet. I don't want to tell them."

"What do I say when they ask?" Kakashi asked, "They'll go to me first because I didn't jump into the fight to aid you."

"Just tell them that Zabuza is my opponent," Naruto muttered looking at Kakashi with dark eyes, "That is all they will know. The less they know about it the better."

Kakashi nodded in response. "I'll go and supervise their training." And with that he left the house.

Kiyoko and Naruto met eyes. Naruto forced a smile on. "Don't worry about me."

She gave him a look that said she sees through the smile. "Naruto, you jumped ahead without thinking."

"I know," Naruto muttered, "This is the second time he's escaped death. What's worse is that he tried to take you guys!" He clenched his fists despite the pain from the cuts. "It's that night all over again! I won't let him get away next time! Next time...that monster will die!"

***Sage***

Ino looked at Kakashi seeing him reading his _Icha Icha_ books. "Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi looked up. "Hn?"

"Why did Naruto-sensei lose his cool? I thought he would never let his emotions get to him in the middle of a fight. It seemed like he wasn't an assassin in that fight against Zabuza." She looked more firmly at Kakashi. "And why didn't you help him?"

Kakashi sighed, knowing this would happen. He closed his book and knelt down onto one knee. "I won't tell you the story," he answered calmly, "But I will say this much. Zabuza is Naruto's enemy. I cannot interfere this battle they fight."

"But why is Naruto being rash?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi closed his eye. "Zabuza took something precious from Naruto."

***Sage***

Naruto sat up when a pretty raven-haired woman entered the room. "Ah, you're awake now, Naruto-san." She smiled and knelt beside him with a tray with hot water, rags, and bandages. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Naruto answered, "The cuts are minor now." He unwrapped a bandage from his arm and saw the cut starting to crust over.

"I still have to clean it," the woman said sweetly. She dampened the rag and began to clean his wounds. Naruto hissed in pain. "I want to thank you for protecting my father. And I'm sorry that he lied to you."

Naruto grunted, "No problem. Where is he now?"

"He's with one of the younger ninja at the bridge." Naruto nodded in response, letting the woman work on him. "I'm Tsunami." He nodded.

***Sage***

The team walked in and Naruto lifted his head. They saw him sitting upright with a knee pulled close to him and the other leg stretched out. Hinata blushed seeing that he was shirtless. Even though the bandages were covering up most of his chest, the bandages didn't shy away from his form. He looked very lean, but strong.

"A-are you f-feeling better, S-Sensei?" Hinata stammered.

Naruto smirked when he noticed both Sasuke and Ino look at Hinata puzzled for her stammering. She was just out of her stuttering phase and now she stumbling over her words. "I'm getting there, Hinata-chan. Thank you...all of you, for helping me. You didn't let the mission fail but you kept me alive. I'm proud of you." He looked at Ino. "And I heard from Kakashi that you took over as the leader and kept everything calm. Great job!"

Ino smiled. "Thank you, Sensei."

Naruto then looked at Sasuke. "If it wasn't for your fast feet, I wouldn't be sitting up talking to you right now. Thank you, Sasuke." Sasuke nodded and grunted in response. He relaxed, leaning back onto his hands. "Now, I've been thinking for a while and talking with Kakashi. And we've both agreed that Zabuza is still alive."

All three teens gasped. "But wait," Ino exclaimed, "We saw it just as you did. The Hunter Ninja struck him with senbons! That's an instant death!"

"If it's hit in the right spot," Hinata muttered, "If you hit the right pressure or chakra point, it's an instant death."

"Very good, Hinata," Naruto responded, "Now, I saw that the senbons hit him in the neck." Naruto pointed to the precise position on his own neck to show. "If I remember my medical training correctly, that spot is to induce a very deep but safe coma. It'll drop the heartbeat so shallow that it's almost impossible to detect and slow the breathing greatly. The only drawback to this is that when the person comes out of it, they are bedridden for a while."

"So Zabuza is still out there?" Sasuke inquired, "But can't move? So he's waiting for the time to be able to move?"

"Yes," Naruto answered, "And once he comes back just as strong as he was before, he will strike again. Which is why I need to get moving as quick as possible so that I can get you started on your training. I don't want another event like that battle to ever happen to you again."

"Why did you block him?" Sasuke asked quietly. He met the blonde's eyes. "Why did you throw yourself in the way to keep him from touching us?"

Naruto was taken aback by the boy's question. Never before had somebody question his mindless actions. He always took actions to the heart at times and not his mind. It was the reason why he was laying in a cot right now, healing from a rough battle...like he did six years ago. He found himself remembering that night...

***Flashback***

He held her close to him in their tent, her bare body pressed up against his. Her long sandy brown hair was like holding silk. He met her eyes, seeing those brown orbs dancing in the morning light. "Komachi-hime..." She smiled brightly before he kissed her deeply. When they parted, she giggled. "What's funny?"

"I can't believe we're to be married as soon as we return," she chimed, "Kiyoko will be so thrilled to have a sister!" She kissed his forehead. "I can't wait, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto smiled at her. "We need to get up, Komachi. I'm sure Towa is waiting for us to quit making out."

She giggled and stood up from the bed. Naruto let his eyes gaze lazily up and down her body. She blushed and threw a pillow in his face. "You pervert!" Naruto laughed fully throwing the pillow back at her and he lifted her in his arms bridal style. "Put me down!"

"Not yet," Naruto chuckled. He gave her a sweet kiss then put her down. "There, I win." He pulled his pants on and left the tent so she could get ready. Naruto stretched his arms behind his head and arched backward, then he saw a smirking black-haired boy his age. "What?"

"You two are hopeless," the boy chuckled, "Hopeless romantics."

"Hey, there is nothing wrong with having morning snuggle time!" Naruto laughed, "Besides, we have only a few days to get home and get ready for the wedding." He began to pack the other things. "Towa, to be honest, I'm nervous."

"Don't be, Naruto," Towa said calmly, "You'll be a great husband. I know you. You are kind, caring, gentle and loving."

Naruto smiled. "I hope you're right." He almost jumped when Komachi hugged him from behind. He chuckled. "You deadly assassin. You don't need a weapon to kill me. You can just scare me to death." She giggled and they shared a kiss. "Let's get going, shall we?"

After packing up the tent, they trudged on. After a few hours, Naruto stopped. "Stop guys."

"What is it?" Towa asked, pulling his katana out.

"Somebody is following us." He looked around, seeing nothing. Then suddenly mist began to gather around them. "Stay close!" He felt Komachi take his hand and squeeze it tightly. "It'll be okay."

They felt a strong force of water hit them and they were forced apart. Naruto managed to right himself up and run against the current of the water jutsu. He performed several hand seals and pushed wind around him, forcing the mist to vanish. He found a tall man sparring off against Towa's katana and Komachi's daggers. Naruto growled and pulled out his katar and charged at him ready to kill him. Suddenly his life slowed to a halt when the man's giant sword struck down on Towa and he fell. Then he spun around and stabbed Komachi with a kunai in the heart.

Naruto's eyes widened, tears instantly appearing as he watched Komachi fall to the ground. "KOMACHI!" He charged at the tall ninja and attacked him with brute force. His eyes turned red and his body began to be covered with demon chakra. His nails became claws and he broke his katar as he attacked the man with punches that would knock any man out with one hit. But the man disappeared into the mist, leaving a raving Jinjuriki screaming over the dead bodies of his comrades...his best friends...his lover...

***End Flashback***

Naruto clenched his fists. The ANBU of Konoha had found him still in demon form and he was tagged as the killer of his partners. After Kakashi had suppressed the chakra and Naruto had woken up from his coma, they talked about it. Kakashi was the only one who believe him when he said he didn't kill them. With Kakashi's help, Naruto had managed to escape the treason charge council was holding over him. After that day, he had vowed to kill the man who kill his team. He worked hard to control the Kyuubi's chakra and his emotions so that he would never miss his target. And in such, he became the greatest assassin of Konoha.

"Sensei?" Ino muttered.

Naruto looked up from his trance and saw the worried faces of his students. He looked at Sasuke and saw the concerned look that Towa would give him. "I wasn't thinking." Naruto muttered the answer to Sasuke's question, "I didn't want you guys to get killed so young. I lost myself. As much as I wanted to keep my cool around you guys, I failed." He met their eyes. "Just learn from my mistake." He struggled up to his feet and he stood slowly, his legs shaking.

Hinata jumped to him and held his arm. "You shouldn't move, Sensei! You're not fully healed yet!"

"Kiyoko, lend me your staff." Naruto took the staff from her hand and he leaned on it. "Good, now I need you three to start training in chakra control right away. I know you can tree-walk already so we are going to try to harness your elemental chakra."

Naruto took them out and into the woods. He leaned down and scraped up a handful of dirt. "Ino, hold your hand out." He let the dirt settle in her palm. "Now I want you to compress that dirt into a rock with your elemental chakra." He looked at Hinata and held his hands out about six inches apart. "Like this, I want you to pull out the water from the air." He took her wrists, noting her bright blush, and pulled her hands closer. "Like that, good." He pulled a light bulb out of a scroll and placed it in Sasuke's hands. "I want you to light this light bulb up with your lightning chakra." Sasuke looked at him like he was insulted. "What?"

They all nodded. "Got it!"

"Begin!"

***Sage***

Naruto watched the failed attempts of his students trying to harness their elemental chakra to a usable limit. Because Sasuke and Hinata had unlocked their chakra, they were closer, but didn't get it. By the end of the day, they were exhausted and couldn't continue. Ino was nowhere near getting close to unlocking her element, but he new that she was getting closer. Sasuke had managed to make the light bulb flicker a few times but no constant light. And Hinata had managed to pull a few droplets of water out of the air.

He sighed, watching the three gennin panting hard. _'This is going to take a while.'_ "Alright, let's go back and rest for the night, tomorrow we'll start again with the same thing."

***Sage***

"Sensei!" Hinata cried, "I did it!"

Naruto quickly looked and saw Hinata holding a sphere of water in her hands. The water was stable. He smiled proudly. "Well done, Hinata! Now you can call water to you in any time as long as you have the chakra reserves for it." He watched her blush and the water bubble collapsed. He smirked. _'Her concentration however needs help.'_ It had been a week already, Naruto knew that Zabuza will attack again soon and on the bridge. The bridge was near completion and Gato wouldn't let them finish it without a fight.

When they were inside for dinner, Naruto took his bowl of rice and ate slowly in a corner by the door. He heard soft footsteps behind him and saw the little boy of Tsunami's again. Little Inari was quite an angry child, and was always lashing out at him. Naruto watched the boy glare at him before sitting down between Sasuke and Sai.

"The bridge should be very close to completion in about a week," Tazuna said, "I just hope that Gato doesn't try to stop us again."

"You have us," Kiba said proudly with Akamaru barking in agreement.

"What do you think you guys can do?" Inari muttered, "Do you guys really think that you can be heroes and stop him? There is no such thing! Nobody can stop Gato! You should leave now!"

Naruto sight and set his bowl down. "Inari...you're right." Everybody looked at him in confusion. "You are right, kid. There is no such thing as a hero. There are only monsters."

"S-Sensei?" Hinata whispered.

"But there are two types of monsters." Naruto continued, "There are monsters like Gato who do things because they can. They want to prove their power and influence over you people through fear and he can do it. Nobody will stop him, this is true. But then there are monsters like me. I'm not a saint, even my village agrees that I'm no saint. I've killed many people in my life. But I am a monster because I want to protect those closest to my heart!" Everybody except Kakashi and Kiyoko looked shocked at his rising voice. "I kill to protect and prevent! I don't kill anybody because I just can and I want to show them my power! No!" He stood up, Kakashi spotted a single tear running down his cheek. "You think that we are trying to be heroes, think again. We are just doing our job and being monsters in the process!"

With Naruto leaving the room, the dinner table became very quiet. Kakashi then received looks from Naruto's students, all questioning Naruto's burst of emotion. He sighed, "You really want to know?" They all nodded. He sighed and stood up. "Alright, come with me. Kiyoko, please go find Naruto and calm him down."

When Kakashi took Naruto's students out one door, Kiyoko went out the other. She found Naruto sitting on the dock, dangling his feet in the water. "Naruto? Are you okay?"

Naruto looked up into the stars. "Komachi loved looking at the stars out here." Naruto muttered, "She said that these stars were the brightest. She wanted to live here." Kiyoko sat beside him and hugged his arm. He closed his eyes.

"You're students are worried about you." Kiyoko said softly, "Hinata has been worried about you ever since we got here. I think she loves you."

Naruto clenched his fists. "Do you think that I can just move on like that?" He looked at his little sister. "I can't let her go!"

Kiyoko took his hand into hers. "You won't be letting her go by accepting a new love. She'll always be the first one to have your heart. You two were perfect for each other, you understood each other. She would want you to find somebody else to love, not hurt yourself like you have been for the past six years."

Naruto bit his lip, trying to keep his chin from trembling. "Hinata is too young. She shouldn't be falling in love with somebody like me. If anything, I'd want her happy with Sasuke." He didn't want to see Komachi's face every time he locked eyes with Hinata. Every time she asked him a question or she was just being herself, he saw Komachi. It pained him every day.

"Naruto, you are being selfish!" He looked at her shocked at her raised voice. "I see it too! Whenever she would laugh at something, it was like Komachi was at home again all those years ago. I miss her too, but this is now! We have Sasuke, Ino, and Hinata living with us now. Towa and Komachi are gone, Naruto! They've been buried...leave them there in peace. Seeing Komachi in Hinata and Towa in Sasuke is making their afterlife hell. If you truly cared about them as much as you say they do, let them go." She held his face in her hands, her green eyes bright like their mother's whenever she would be like this. "Let them go."

He looked at his little sister with wide shocked eyes. This is the first time ever that she spoke with more wisdom than he thought she had. "Kiyoko..." For some strange reason, he was happy she tagged along against his rules. He looked down into his lap. "I knew there was a reason Mom called you Kiyoko." She raised an eyebrow. "You truly are pure and calm. Just like your name says."

She smiled her goofy smile. "Hey, I can be crazy too. You can't always be the maelstrom around here." They both laughed quietly, then they got silent.

Naruto sighed and laid down on his back, looking up into the starry night. He gazed at the stars for a while when he started to see Towa and Komachi. Towa had on his mischievous grin, Komachi had her sweet loving smile. He smiled gently, then watched as Towa turned on his heel slowly and walked away, waving over his shoulder as he always did. When he vanished into the night sky, Komachi turned and walked after him. But she stopped and looked over her shoulder one last time, as if asking if he would be okay.

His smile grew a little bigger and she vanished like Towa did. _'Goodbye...until we meet again, my brother...my love.'_

***Sage***

_Angel: That's it! No more of this chapter before I go insane!_

**Demon: It only took you how many days?**

_Angel: I forgot! But it was hours of thought that made it seem long._

**Demon: Let's not forget you have your partner in crime sitting by you the whole trip.**

_**The 9: If the police call about crime...I'm not here...I'll probably already be in jail. **poofs away****_

_**Demon and Angel: How the hell do you keep popping up!**_

_**The 9: **appears again** you'll never catch me this time, you already owe those people too much to get them to help you again! **evil laugh as he melts into the darkness****_

**Demon: Damnit, he has a point! I mean we owe Yuna and Lelouch big time! Who do we have left?**

_Angel: Well, I can call in a favor to Leon...he owes me a lot from keeping him from killing Ashley._

**Demon: You gave her the indestructible armor didn't you?**

_Angel: I'm not giving away my secrets. **Looks through a file** ah we also have Talim, Tira, Sakura..._

_**The 9: **in the background** SAKURA BOOM!**_

**Demon: Going on...um I may have a few favors from a few people. And well, I'm holding a few hostages.**

_Angel: But I thought The 9 didn't care about people._

**Demon: He doesn't, but he does care about his elf generals **evil snicker, holding up a small stack of Magic Cards** We'll see you next time readers!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Demon: Here I go, narrating a chapter because Angel can't write fights. **

_Angel: Hush, Demon._

**Demon: What, it be true **smirks****

_Angel: This isn't going to happen often...wait a minute...yeah, for a while it will...**Mutters to self** damn chunnin exams!_

**Demon: Huzzah for Chunnin Exams! Let's not also forget when we enter Shippuden... **chuckles** fights after fights after fights! Most of these chapters after Shippuden begins will be mine! **evil laugh...and cough** ugh that's murder on my throat!**

_**The 9: **Appears from Narnia** That's what she said last night! **melts into the darkness****_

_Angel: **sighs** I'm still waiting on Leon to contact me._

**Demon: Do not fret, Angel! I have brought two epic forces...**

***Sage***

"Kakashi, here's the plan. Our teams will split up. My team will go to the bridge and assist Tazuna and protect him if Zabuza decides to attack. I want you and your team to stay here and protect his family. We can't let anybody get hurt in this."

Kakashi nodded. He wasn't going to argue with Naruto. Especially since this time, the score Naruto had would finally be settled. Ever since that night that Naruto had his 'monster' speech, he had been less stressed. He didn't know why, but he wasn't going to question it.

They both heard footsteps above them. When they looked at the stairs, all three of Naruto's team trekked down. They stopped when they saw Naruto and Kakashi planning their moves. "What's the plan?" Sasuke asked, breaking the silence.

Naruto smiled. "Glad you asked, Sasuke. Here's the plan. You guys are going to the bridge with me. I have a feeling that Zabuza will appear today. We will assist Tazuna in building the bridge and protect him if needed. Kakashi's team will stay here and watch over the house and Tsunami and Inari." He looked at Ino. "Ino, if I somehow go down and I can't give orders, you'll take over for me." He looked at Hinata. "I want you to make clones if you can and keep one by me to aid and heal me if needed. If you guys get separated, I want a clone with the others as well. You are our medic."

Hinata nodded. "I'll do my best."

Naruto looked at Sasuke. "You are our fastest, Sasuke. If Zabuza goes for you, I want you to run. I will catch up and we'll trap him." The boy nodded. "And Sasuke, bring your katana...you'll need it today."

He nodded. "Understood, Sensei."

Tazuna entered the room, dressed and ready to go. "Well, it seems that you guys are already awake. There are still some rice cakes in the kitchen if you guys haven't eaten yet."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you. We'll grab some on our way out. We wait for you to be ready. My team and I will be assisting you today."

"Well, I'm ready now so we can leave now if you need to."

Naruto looked at his students, who were ready for anything. "Let's go, Team Uzumaki!"

***Sage***

Naruto squinted to see through the mist. "Keep your guard up, guys! He's here. Guard the bridge builder girls. Sasuke, you're my back up."

From the mist, they saw two figures emerge...Zabuza and the hunter nin they encountered. Naruto clenched his fists, controlling his anger that began to rage. Sasuke wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his blade, ready to pull it out. He kept himself close to Naruto.

Zabuza chuckled. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, kid." Right then, the hunter nin jumped and threw his senbon at Sasuke. Sasuke dodged the senbon throwing himself back farther. The hunter chased him deeper toward the bridge.

"Hinata!"

"Right!" She made a clone and made her run after Sasuke, only for it to be destroyed instantly by a senbon shot by the hunter nin. She began to make another clone.

"Hinata, stop!" Naruto called out, "That's what they are wanting you to do. You'll keep making clones and they'll be destroyed before reaching Sasuke. You'll fall into their trap of wasting chakra."

Hinata watched Sasuke being followed by the hunter nin. "This is Sasuke-kun's fight, it seems."

Sasuke spun around blocking another of the hunter nins blows. With a snarl Sasuke tore his sword from its sheath and swung at the older boy...only for him to dodge it. "Why don't you just stand still damnit," Sasuke growled out only to be met by silence.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke's fight. Quickly he looked back at Zabuza only to see him disappear into the swirling mist around them. With a small sigh he relaxed, listening for Zabuza in the mist. 'I_t's all a waiting game now. It all comes down to who will screw up first...good luck Sasuke you're on your own.'_

Sasuke grunted as he locked attacks with the hunter yet again. "Looks like we're still tied, huh?" He smirked.

"That may be true Sasuke, if I didn't have two advantages. We're surrounded by water and I only need one hand," with those words the hunter nin flipped through several one-handed seals.

Sasukes eyes widen in surprise _'One-handed seals!' _

"Take this Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!" exclaimed the hunter, slamming his foot down. All around them the water on the ground lifted into the air forming into needles. The hunter nin jumped away just as the needles slammed down on where Sasuke stood. _'Did I get him?'_

Sasuke coughed having escaped that last attack at the last second _'What happened back there? It's like time just stopped for an instant and I saw my way out.' _He glared up at the hunter nin with fury in his eyes _'It doesn't matter. With us surrounded by water and his ability to use one-handed seals I'm at a huge disadvantage.'_

Naruto heard Zabuzas voice all around him. "Haku stop playing with the weakling already and use that jutsu."

The hunter nodded and started flipping through seals "Hai, Zabuza-sama, Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors." Around them mirrors of ice formed a dome around them. They arched above Sasuke, trapping him inside. He looked around, finding no way out.

_'Great! Hinata can't get to me!'_ He glared at Haku who stood a few feet away. Suddenly, Haku jumped back and he melted into the mirror behind him. Sasuke gaped in shock and horror. He ended up focusing on dodging the senbons that were being thrown at him. A few nicked his skin and drew blood. _'Damn! I'm not fast enough! I have to read his movements. Any more of these cuts and I'm done for!'_ He tried to catch Haku's movements, but wasn't able to. The boy just moved too fast for his own eyes.

Naruto dodged the heavy swing of Zabuza's blade. He did a few back flips and landed quietly. _'With this mist I can't see anything.' _Within moments, Hinata's clone appeared beside him. She performed a few handseals and touched his arm. Naruto felt a surge of chakra enter his body and he was replenished.

"You left the girls open..." Zabuza chuckled.

Naruto gasped and charged to where he thought Hinata and Ino where. Ino heard Hinata gasp. "Hinata, what is it?"

"He's coming, the enemy."

Ino felt the air and she managed to block the attack using her kunai. Her arms gave way under the pressure but she pushed the attack away. Her limbs were screaming at her like they were on the verge of snapping in half. Her muscles were loose and ready to give up. She felt extremely exhausted. _'Oh no, Naruto-sensei was right! I can't move after that one attack! Oh god, any more and I'm dead! Hinata can't defend herself, Tazuna-sama, and Naruto at the same time. She's getting tired from chakra use.'_ She looked at Hinata, who was panting slightly.

***Sage***

Kakashi looked around the room. "Inari, Tsunami, stay in here. Sakura, stay with them. Sai and Kiba, you're with me." They all went into formation. Sakura stayed in the kitchen with the mother and son while Kakashi, Kiba, and Sai walked outside. Kakashi led the way silently, pulling out his kunai. Within moments, they had beaten down two samurai thugs. Kakashi looked over them. "Seems like these are Gato's men..."

"Inari! Come back!" Tsunami cried out as the little boy ran out with his cross bow.

Sai was the first to spring and he followed the child. Inari looked up at him. "Why are you following me?"

"It's my mission," Sai answered, "I'm to protect Tazuna's family. If any of his family leaves the house, then I will follow them."

***Sage***

Sasuke ran toward the puddle and kicked the water, letting the droplets splash upward as Haku attacked. He watched the direction that the water droplets went each time Haku passed. He was still too fast, but Sasuke was able to start predicting where he could strike and was able to dodge each attack faster. He began to worry about the rest of his team. He didn't want them hurt, he'd never forgive himself if he couldn't fight for his sensei, or the girls.

In the midst of his thoughts, he didn't notice Haku make his serious strike. Sasuke let out a cry of pain as over a hundred senbons pierced through his body. He dropped to his knees, coughing up blood. _'Damn! I let my guard down!'_ He tried to move, but to no avail. "N-no! I can't...damnit!"

Haku pulled out two senbons. "These are the last I will use on you...then your girlfriends are next."

Sasuke growled in anger. He felt his body begin to heat up really quick. Somehow, despite the senbons having paralyzed him, he felt his arms and legs move. It wasn't fast or smooth, but he was moving. He felt cold water running down his skin and realized that the senbons were melting. The ice was being melted by his extreme chakra usage. He saw Haku get ready to attack, with the thought that this was the end. The faces of his comrades flashed before him._ 'Hinata...Ino...Naruto-sensei...I'm sorry...I failed you.' _Haku jumped and threw the senbons, but strangely enough, Sasuke struck his arms out, hands extended and caught the senbons from the sides.

Haku gasped. _'No, it can't be! Nobody can see my attacks early enough to stop them.'_

Sasuke's eyes widened. "H-how...?" He looked at himself in the closest ice mirror and saw his eyes. They were red with the black markings around the pupil. _'The Sharingan?'_ He heard Haku grunt and he looked seeing the boy jump. He saw every microsecond of his movments. _'I can read him now! He won't be able to hit me!'_ Haku attempted an attack only for Sasuke to deflect it with great ease. With every attack Haku threw at Sasuke, he was able to dodge or deflect or counter it just as fast.

The boy froze for a moment and the ice mirrors began to melt around them. "I'm sorry for the unexpected pause. My duty is needed." The boy vanished.

Sasuke cursed under his breath and he charged on ahead trying to find the boy. He didn't want the girls to be harmed or Naruto's battle to be hindered.

***Sage***

Naruto watched from above. He perched silently on the crane that swayed in the wind. He didn't dare move a muscle to avoid being caught. He saw Zabuza looking around for him. _'You should look up once in a while. It'll save your life.'_ Naruto gripped his katar, ready to jump for the final blow. _'Towa, Komachi, this is for you. I will avenge your death right here and now!'_ Naruto made his jump seeing the best opening for an assassination.

Sasuke saw where Haku was heading and charged. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Naruto jump in an assassination move. "Naruto! No!"

The moment that Naruto heard Sasuke's call, he heard his blade hit and cut through flesh. Blood splattered all over him. He looked and saw the hunter nin without his mask on. His blade had cut through the boys chest and partially into a surprised Zabuza. The boy was instantly dead, nobody had ever survived that attack. Naruto met the demonic eyes of Zabuza who looked pleased.

"Hn...I knew I'd made good use of you sometime."

Naruto pulled his arm back and took a step backward, letting Haku's body fall without a second glance. He kept his glare at Zabuza firmly. Sasuke gaped at his sensei in shock. He struck down a boy no older than himself without hesitation...like a true assassin.

Naruto jumped back into the mist, disappearing. Zabuza looked and saw Sasuke standing a short distance away. "Looks like you're my new target since blondie boy abandoned you." Sasuke let out a quiet gasp of fear. Zabuza drew his sword back and began to charge at Sasuke when suddenly a blade lashed out and sliced at his arms, hindering them paralyzed, then he kicked Zabuza's legs out from under him and knocked him down.

Sasuke looked and saw Naruto crouching behind where Zabuza stood. "Always make sure that your opponent has truly left the area before moving on to another target." Naruto stood up and walked up to Sasuke. "Are you okay?" Sasuke only gave him a quick nod, composing his expression to stay calm. Naruto then turned to see Zabuza struggling to his knees. "You don't show any compassion for somebody who helped you? You are lower than dirt! That boy risked his life to make your dream come true and you just throw him in your way without a single regard to him! You are scum!"

"Shut up, kid," Zabuza growled.

Sasuke watched Naruto. His eyes were bright in rage, yet he kept himself calmer than his last fight with Zabuza. It must've taken some time for Naruto to gain that kind o0f control over his emotions. Especially since he was looking at the man who had killed his closest loved ones. If Sasuke where in his position...he would've lost control of himself from the beginning. He looked at his sensei with a new light and higher respect.

The mist cleared and Sasuke was able to see Ino, Hinata, and Tazuna completely unharmed. Ino and Hinata looked exhausted. He could understand why Hinata would be exhaused, but Ino was a mystery. He wanted to run to them to make sure they were okay, but he had a duty to Naruto first. He was supposed to be Naruto's backup and he wasn't going to abandon Naruto now.

The sound of applauding echoed around them. They all looked to see a very intimidating group of pirates. And standing in front of them was the short, fat smut that was Gato, who was applauding for some odd reason. "Well well well, this was quite a performance. I must say, this was entertaining."

Naruto snarled, "You stay out of this!"

Gato walked up to the fallen body of Haku and poked him with his cane. "Little shit nearly broke my arm!" He kicked Haku hard across the face. Sasuke and Naruto noticed Zabuza looked down, clenching his fists in anger. "Man, I wish he could feel that."

Zabuza stood up. He looked at Naruto. "Give me your kunai, blondie."

Naruto hesitated for a moment then tossed his kunai at Zabuza. The man caught the handle between his teeth. Naruto noticed that he had removed his bandages and saw his face was streaked with dried up tears. _'You do have compassion...'_ Sasuke had drawn his katana and bent his knees, ready to charge. All it took was Naruto's hand on Sasuke's shoulder to stop him. "It's his battle now."

Zabuza charged toward Gato, who had retreated behind the mob of pirates. After a few moments, Naruto saw Zabuza fall after pushing Gato's bleeding corpse into the water below. The pirates stared in shock and fear, avoiding Zabuza as he stumbled back to his feet and limped slowly toward Haku's body. Zabuza's body was pierced with knives and spears from the pirates. Naruto was shocked that the demon could still move.

Just as the pirates were about to turn on Naruto and the others, an arrow flew through the air and landed right in front of the mob of pirates. "Hey you, pirates!" a young voice called, "You should leave now, before we dismantle you!"

Sasuke looked behind him and saw another mob appear. Inari and Sai were leading the villagers, armed with pitchforks and fishing machetes, ready to fight. He chuckled when he saw Inari was holding his crossbow gun. Then he noticed a hooded figure appear behind Sai, his face right along Sai's ear as if to whisper to him. The only thing that stood out to Naruto and Sasuke were the glowing yellow eyes. Then suddenly... "MASH PIT!"

Somehow, the yell of the mysterious man caused the villagers to attack, but left poor Sai deaf in one ear and off balance. Naruto aided in the attack with using his chakra reserves to create hundreds of clones. Instantly the pirates began to jump off of the bridge either trying to fit onto a boat or just diving into the water.

As everybody from the village cheered, Naruto and his team approached Zabuza. He looked up at them with dim eyes. "Can I...ask you of a favor?"

Naruto knelt down. "Yes."

"Take me to Haku...please."

Naruto lifted Zabuza with Sasuke's help and they both carried him to Haku's body. Zabuza looked at the boy's tranquil face. "You were always soft at heart, Haku," Zabuza whispered, "I wish...I was as kind to you as Naruto is to his students." Naruto bit his lip. "Haku...I know that I won't be going where you have gone...but I wish I was. I'm sorry...Haku." His hand that held Haku's face went limp and Naruto know that he was gone.

Snow began to fall gently around them. A rare sight for Naruto and his team. Naruto looked up into the sky, seeing the sunset. _'You never know, Zabuza...you might be with him.'_

***Sage***

_Angel: He appeared...The 9 actually appeared in the story. Oh dear lord this isn't good!_

**Demon: he didn't damage anything yet...well...except for Sai's ears **looks over at Sai who has a cotton ball in the deaf ear** We are so sorry about that.**

Sai: yeah yeah sure you are...

_Angel: What are we going to do?_

**Demon: I don't know, Angel, I guess we'll just have to see.**

_Angel: **to readers** As for Sasuke being able to move after being paralyzed by Haku, I will explain that in the next chapter. If you have any more questions that confuse you, please ask them and I'll either explain in a message or answer it in the story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter._

_**The 9: Just so you know, the end of the world cheat...is CTL...ALT...**_

_**Angel and Demon: DON'T TOUCH THAT BUTTON!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**The 9: **enters Demon and Angel's Anime Headquaters he looks around** Oh little elves...where art thou? I have succeeded in infiltrating the evil headquaters of Angel and Demon... **Pauses** wait a minute...**holds a finger up looking at himself in a mirror with a confused face** I am the evil one...aren't I? **tilts head...reflection nods** **_

_**Okay good! Just making sure! Now, on my quest to find my kidnapped elves...If I were a couple of super-perverts, which I am, where would I put a few elves...?...**snaps fingers** AHA! The dungeon! **dun dun dun! He looks around** where da fuck that come from? **Shrugs** now I know my elves are in their dungeon...and they are just like me...where the bloody hell would I put a dungeon?**_

_****he looks at a line of doors** maybe it's behind door number 1...nah it would never be behind door number 1, they gotta be smarter than that...**He crosses his arms then goes through a deep and way too complicated thought-out-loud proccess** Fuck it! I'm gonna look behind door number nine! Because that's my name! And they have 9 elves!**_

_****He opens the door and sees a small room with an open scroll hanging along the wall with his name written on the top** Oh come on! You make one room...for one scroll...who does that honestly? Oh hey, there's my name! **Mumbles the names** Leon I know him...Master chief! Honestly! Auh man!...Tira? Oh she's so cute!...You guys are sending me all these...who the hell is LeafRanger?**_

Computer voice: Welcome Demon and Angel! You have a guest in the hallway.

_Angel: Who the hell came in here?_

_**The 9: No there isn't! Don't lie to them! **pauses** shit! That was too loud!**_

**Demon: ...It's The 9...**

_**The 9: No it isn't! It's...it's...**starts breathing heavily attempting Darth Vadar...failing** Luke...I am your father.**_

**Demon: My name's not Luke...**

_**The 9: And I didn't find your dungeon either! So we're both screwed! **poofs in a cloud of smoke****_

_Angel: **looking around** Um...enjoy the fic everybody..._

***Sage***

Naruto watched as his team helped Tazuna work on the bridge some more. The progress was going on very nicely and the bridge was scheduled to finish within two weeks. He smiled proudly. Then he noticed Hinata was teetering holding a few boxes. He ran up behind her and held the top few boxes steady. His chest was softly pressed up against her back. She whimpered, blushing brightly.

"You should be careful, Hinata-chan," he said in a cool voice, "Don't want you to get injured."

Hinata blushed an even brighter red...if that was possible. She tried to stammer her thanks to him but couldn't manage to form words.

Sasuke and Ino stood by each other, watching Naruto help Hinata. She was stammering more just now than she ever had in her entire life. As much as they wanted to tell her to calm down, they couldn't. She was so cute trying to talk to Naruto as he somehow was flirting. Though they thought he wasn't intending it.

The entire day was filled with Naruto working beside a blushing stammering Hinata. It was a wonder that she didn't faint at all that day. When she finally got a break and went to cool off in the village, she roamed the streets, her mind a giant mess. _'I can't stop thinking about Naruto-k...sensei. What do I do? If anybody finds out that I like my sensei then he'll get into deep trouble. We might lose our sensei! I don't want that to happen!'_ She stopped seeing Ino in the corner of her eye. "Ino!"

Ino saw Hinata and waved. "Hey, Hinata." She ran up to her with a smile on her face. "Naruto-sensei finally let you have a break, huh?"

Hinata nodded, trying to dismiss the turmoil in her mind. "Yeah, he told me to cool off in the village because I've been working too hard." She sighed.

Ino smiled. "Well trying to dodge Naruto-sensei and actually say something to him looks like hard work."

Hinata blushed brightly. "H-how did you know?"

"Come on, Hinata. Sasuke and I saw how you've been reacting to Naruto-sensei now."

"But he had a lover one time...I don't want to hurt him."

"I don't think he's hurting anymore. After that night when Kakashi told us about his team, he seemed to be at peace with himself. Their deaths didn't bother him. I think he's finally moved on."

Hinata looked at Ino, who was munching on a pocky. "Wait a minute, Ino, you don't eat that stuff."

Ino giggled, "Well maybe I wanted to try something new for a change." She took another bite. "Oh, have you heard, the village is calling Naruto a hero."

"Haven't you girls learned anything, Naruto-sensei may be good...but he's not a hero." Sasuke walked up in between them. He had his hands in his pockets, shoulders relaxed. "I've seen it myself, Naruto-sensei is really what he said that night. He's the monster that does what he is told to. He's no saint."

"How could you say such a thing!" Ino gasped, "Because of Naruto-sensei, this village will become prosperous."

"He killed a boy no older than I," Sasuke retorted calmly, though it was clear he was agitated. Both of the girls winced at his gaze. "If he were from another village, that boy could have easily been one of us. He won't hesitate to kill a threat like we have done before."

Naruto watched his team actually argue for the first time in months. _'Well done, Sasuke, you've been observant even when your life was threatened.' _He sighed and noticed the girls ended the conversation and all three of them walked, Sasuke wedged between them with Ino and Hinata holding his arms. He smirked. _'Looks like this will be a very close team.'_

***Sage***

Ino had been in the training field for several days after they got back home from wave. It was clear to Naruto that she was trying to unlock her elemental chakra. Sasuke and Hinata were already attempting jutsu and Ino was ordered to try opening that chakra. Naruto watched from the garden, seeing Ino pulling up great amounts of chakra around herself. It was a long painful process...and she was getting nowhere.

Ino collapsed to her knees with an exhausted cry. "I can't...I can't get it!" She fell to her side willingly letting our her frustration in angry sobs.

Naruto watched her, expecting her to get back up to her feet and try again or call it a night and come inside. But she didn't move. He walked out carefully toward her, around him he noticed cracks and holes in the earth that didn't exist before. He couldn't help but smile. _'You've succeeded without noticing it, Ino.'_ He hopped over a rather large crack and knelt by her. "Ino, how's the training coming?"

Ino gasped quickly sitting up and drying her tears before facing Naruto. "S-sensei! My training's going o-okay." She stood back up and performed the hand seals, but Naruto gently took her arm, hindering her training. "S-sensei?"

"Ino, I'm very proud of you. In the past year you have advanced so far." He smiled. "You are doing a great job."

She looked down and pulled her arm away, letting her shoulders slump. "Yeah, sure...I can't even get my elemental chakra to open. I'm not as far as Sasuke or Hinata." She felt tears brimming, unaware Naruto noticed the fresh wave of tears. "I'm a failure."

Naruto reached out and lifted her chin. "Ino, you aren't a failure. Earth is very hard to awaken to start with. But you forget one of my rules of being an assassin."

"Which one is that?"

"Observe your environment frequently."

Ino looked around and saw the results of her emotional bursts. Her eyes widened as she spun around seeing the cracks and holes and little mountains around her. "I...I did it?" Naruto nodded at her. "Oh my god! I did it!" She jumped with excitement and hugged Naruto tightly. Just as quickly as she jumped into his arms, she pulled away realizing what she just did. She giggled nervously.

Naruto smirked, chuckling and scratching the back of his head nervously. "Ino, why don't you go and take a shower. Take the rest of the day off, you've had a long week." With a smile, Ino ran past him to the house.

***6 months later***

"A day off?" Ino asked tilting her head, "What do you mean?"

"You've been training and doing missions for so long, I've decided to let you guys have a day off. Go to the village, go shopping, go visit family..."

Sasuke crossed his arms. "Looks like my tomatoes and I are going to have fun today."

Naruto gave him a teasing look. "Smart-ass, you get to spend the day with me!"

Ino and Hinata both smiled. "This isn't a trick right?" Hinata asked, "You aren't going to give us a pop assassin quiz?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nope." And with that the girls left and Sasuke trudged upstairs to his room.

***Ino's POV***

Ino twisted her hair as she walked down the streets. She decided to visit her family first before going out on a shopping trip for herself. Her feet twisted and turned herself to walk down the street where her family's flower shop sat. It was early so they hadn't opened yet. She looked at the clock. "Two hours, that should be enough time for me."

The moment she opened the door, she was gripped in a tight hug from her father. "Ino! My daughter it's been so long! Your sensei is keeping you away from us!"

Ino tried to force out a giggle, "Well, that's what happens when your sensei needs to train you and make you the best assassins possible."

"Assassin, huh?" Inoichi chuckled, "I would have never imagined you as an assassin." He pulled away from his daughter with a big smile on his face. "Your mother and I got you some things this past year."

"Where is Mother?" Ino asked.

"Is that Ino I hear?" a woman's voice called out.

"I'm here, Mom!" Ino chimed in response.

A beautiful woman walked out from the back room with sunshine blonde hair with the same ice blue eyes that Ino shared. Yamanka Misaki was known to be the most beautiful blonde woman in all of Konoha. Ino smiled and ran to hug the older woman.

"My dearest, Ino! You are more beautiful than when you left for training. How long are you back?"

"Naruto-sensei gave us a day off because of all that we've done."

"One day?" Misaki questioned, "I doubt one day is enough for three teenagers after a year of training and missions."

Ino shrugged. "I don't think it's a bad idea. He's let us have days off before, but this is the first day he let us out to town."

Inoichi sat down and the two women followed suit. "How has the team been treating you since graduation, dear?"

"We're doing great! Sensei is proud of our teamwork."

"That's great!" Misaki sang.

They chatted about her training and of course gossip. Ino couldn't help but feel out of place. She had received beauty products by the bag and tight clothes to reveal her once nonexistent body figure. She appreciated the gifts...but not in the same way that she would have a year ago. Something had changed in her...and she didn't know if she liked it or not.

***Hinata's POV***

Hinata strolled the front gardens of the Hyuuga estate. It was beautiful still...yet Naruto's garden had the love in it that this one lacked. She sighed as she strolled toward a bush of red roses. A smile crept on her face, remembering when this bush was just as tall as her knee, now it's taller than her.

After looking at the flowers, she entered her home. She found her father and little sister in the normal training room. Hanabi stopped, looking at her elder sister in shock. "Hinata?" She nodded and the young Hyuuga ran to hug Hinata.

She smiled at her younger sister then met the calm eyes of her father. She gave him a soft nod. "Hello, Father."

He stood up. "Good, you're finally home. Now you can stay here."

Hinata's eyes widened. "What? You can't be serious! I haven't even become Chunnin yet!"

"I don't care, I will set you up with another team so you can make it there." His cold eyes met hers. "As long as I get you away from that demon!"

She clenched her fists. "Hanabi, go to your nanny." The little girl ran off out of the training building. Hinata then faced her father. "Father, Naruto-sensei is no demon. He may be harsh in his training, but I'm much stronger and smarter now because of it. He's a good sensei!"

"He's a demon, Hinata," Hiashi argued, "He's killed and raped...he might go after you."

"It's his job to kill, he's an assassin!" Hinata felt her voice raising so she dropped it down. "The raping part...I highly doubt anybody he had to have sex with for the job was raped."

Hiashi furrowed his brows harder. "Hinata, don't you see through the deception? He's being a kind but firm sensei so he can seduce you and use you. He'll take advantage of you!"

"And I wouldn't stop him," she muttered.

The Hyuuga clan leader froze and looked at her. "What did you say?"

"I said: I wouldn't stop him." Her voice was firm and strong.

If Hiashi was furious, now he was beyond rage. "Hinata, if you are serious, so help me Kami..." He paused when Hinata turned around and began to leave. "Don't you dare leave this house!" She kept walking. "I DISOWN YOU! YOU ARE NO DAUGHTER OF MINE! YOU ARE A WHORE!"

Hinata bit back her retorts and threatening tears as she walked as calmly as she could away from the Hyuuga compound. She closed the gate and gasped, seeing Ino standing there. "I-Ino?"

"Problems at home?" Ino asked with a hint of understanding in her voice. Hinata sighed, shoulders slumping and she was nodding. Ino smiled. "Well then, I guess you and I can get some girl time and go hang out at a cafe and shop for the afternoon. How does that sound?"

Hinata smiled. "That sounds great!"

***Sasuke's POV***

Sasuke sighed as he tapped his pen on the writing table. He stared at a blank piece of paper...well, not really blank if you count the dark sketches of eyes, hearts, and stars at the top and side. He just couldn't think of anything to write. He began to sketch again and he ended up drawing his own sharingan.

Naruto bent forward to touch his toes when he heard the tapping from Sasuke's room. He growled and stood up. He had enough of the Uchiha staying cooped up in the house when he should be out on the town like a normal teenager. He trudged up the stairs and entered the room, seeing the teenager bent over his writing table, running a hand through his hair, messing it up. For that moment, Sasuke looked vulnerable. "Sasuke?"

The Uchiha spun around, seeing that vulnerability in his eyes for a split second before the barrier flew up. Naruto hid his suprise. "What?"

"I think you should go out and find the girls, or any other friends you haven't seen in months." He crossed his arms. "You're almost 16 now, try to finish up your teenage years having fun when you can. Once you become a chunnin, your young days are over." He smirked. "It's either than or you hang out with boring old me downstairs."

Sasuke stood up, shaking his head to put his hair somewhat back to normal. "I'm going I'm going." He walked past his sensei and walked out of the house.

Sasuke looked around the village for once, noticing shops that he never knew existed. The village sounds began to echo in his head and was soothing. No wonder Hinata and Ino wanted to get out so much. He stopped seeing Hinata and Ino walking out of a shop with bags in their hands. He waved when they looked his way.

"Sasuke-kun?" Ino said, tilting her head, "You actually came out of the house?"

"Hell has frozen over," Sasuke chuckled. He took the bags out of their hands. "Now ladies, you know very well to always have a man accompany you to the shopping." With all of them laughing, he followed them to a cafe and gathered around a table. He looked at Hinata. "So, Hinata, when are you gonna make the first move on Naruto."

She blushed madly. "S-Sasuke! I-I can't do that! He'd get into a lot of trouble!"

Ino sighed, "It is almost so clear that you like him, I'm beginning to wonder if Sensei is just that oblivious."

"He's not," Sasuke responded, "I've noticed it. You both look at each other when the other isn't looking. Hinata, you have to make the move or else you might miss your chance."

"I-I can't..." Hinata looked down. "I'm not ready yet." She sighed. "I admitted to my father that if Sensei wanted me, I wouldn't stop him." She paused then looked at her teammates. "Does that really make me a whore?"

"No!" Sasuke and Ino exclaimed in unison.

"Just take your time," Ino said sweetly.

"But don't take too long," Sasuke broke in, "Or else you might lose this chance."

_'Hinata, when I am ready, I'll make that move.'_ Naruto turned himself around and walked back home to give his students a day to themselves as friends.

***Sage***

**Demon: **Walks over to door labeled 'door number 1' and opens it seeing a scantly clad elf tied up in a chair in the center of the room, a cloth gagging her rendering her silent...and off to the side sat a man with glowing silver eyes in a blue cloak, his hands stretched out in front of him as if he were groping something.** Jace...how's it coming?**

Jace: Having lots of fun, young Master! Koth and Karn are in the back of the room with the others.

**Demon: Good good.**

Jace: Somebody was in here a while ago saying something about they'd never put a dungeon behind Door number 1 and that they'd be smarter than that...who was that?

_Angel: The one who will never look behind door number 1 **giggles malevolently**_

**Demon: **closes the door** I told you he'd never look behind door number 1 **evil grin****


End file.
